Finn and Family
by azurefang
Summary: I thought I would write about Finn for a change. this story takes place in the settlement in Virginaia, befoe any of the siblings became vampires. Finn, Elijah, Kol, OC
1. Chapter 1

FINN AND FAMILY

 _A/N I thought I would write about Finn for a change. This story takes place in the settlement of the Vikings in Virginia, and it is before any of the siblings became vampires. Finn, Elijah, Kol, OC._

 _Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries and The Originals do not belong to me. Additional characters, such as Rika, are mine._

Finn, eldest son of Mikael, walked toward the rock ledge beside the river. The sun was just coming up over the low hills to the east and shown on the blue tones of the forested mountains to the west. It lit the grasses and shrubs that were sprinkled with morning dew, glowing like tiny diamonds. Above him hung the dripping branches of several large trees. He enjoyed this time of day and this spot beside the river, where he could hear the natural sounds of birds and running water. Soon enough, the noises of the settlement would rise – the sounds of many voices and of axes on wood.

Hearing the tread of footsteps behind him, he turned and smiled at the young woman who was approaching. The hem of her long dress was now damp from the dew, as were her bare feet. She smiled back, a twinkle in her eyes.

"Good morning, Rika, my love," he said. He certainly did love her. Although the blonde woman had a pleasing face, she was no real beauty, except in the eyes of those who loved her.

"Good morning to you, Finn," she said, coming right to him and slipping her arms around his body. She was several inches shorter than he was, which was five feet eleven inches, and she was two years younger than his eighteen years. She rose on tiptoes as he leaned down slightly to kiss her.

"I wish we were married," she said softly when their lips parted. "I know I say that often. My mother is not at all against it. Father is not so sure. I wish your father had a different opinion of me and my family." This was not the first time they had considered their predicament.

"I wish the same, but I don't know how to change their opinions." He turned to face the river, his arm drawing her against his side.

"I'm not ashamed of my family," Rika said, looking at the rushing water that, a short way further to their right, spilled over a rocky falls. Like Finn, she found the sound of the water pleasing. "What were you thinking before I arrived?"

"I like the river. The sound of it. But the water also reminds me of our long journey years ago. I was just a little boy and it frightened me sometimes. The ocean waves. The cold wind. Monsters in the deep. I dream of it sometimes to this day. Mother would hold me and tell me that God was watching out for us. I guess she was right."

"You once told me your mother is a Christian. Or she was." Rika was the daughter of Jan, and her family believed in the Norse gods, which the Christians thought of as mere pagan mythology.

"Yes, but my father insisted that we children know the gods of our own people. Powerful people. Frightening people. Odin. Thor. Frigg. All of the others."

"I know. They are important, Finn. An integral part of who we are."

"We— you and I—, are not the same, according to my father." Finn shook his head in frustration. He turned to the young woman again and kissed her with passion. He did not think of her as different. He had known her most of his life, but it was only recently that he had found himself in love with her.

Rika pulled away a bit and added, "He worries about the future, I suppose. I don't intend to take anyone's life, so I see no reason for me to ever turn." She didn't mention that both her own father and two of her brothers transformed into wolves every full moon. Finn already knew that.

"You should not be concerned," Finn said firmly. "Except for your aunt, none of the women in your clan have turned when there is a full moon. There's no reason why you would."

"Only Aunt Greta has killed anyone. It's the men folk, because of fighting the Skraelings and killing some." Most of the native people in this land over the sea from the Norse homeland were friendly, but some were not. Raids and battles had happened with increasing occurrences. When someone of Rika's clan killed anyone, he would change form during the full moon nights, becoming a werewolf, a creature the natives feared.

"My parents think even the women will change if they kill someone, which is surely true. Father says I am not to bring werewolf children into my family," Finn said with a sigh.

"We haven't made any children," Rika murmured against his warm chest. "But I wouldn't mind doing that any time."

"Me, too." He was too obedient a son to go against his parents' wishes. Especially those of his mother, the witch Esther. He loved his mother and feared his father. Mikael was a Viking warrior, even here in this far land. He was one of the leader of the community, which had been established from three ships loaded with brave and adventurous settlers— men, women and children of various ages. The location of this settlement was far south of the one established by Leif Eriksson and far warmer. Centuries after Finn's time, it would be called Virginia.

In the sixteen years the Scandinavian group had been settled here, children had grown to youths and young adults. Finn was one of those. Unlike some of the young males, he had never killed one of the indigenous people. For Rika's clan, killings had sealed their fate. For Mikael's people, their situation was normal, but they too were often wary of the werewolves on the nights of the full moon. The wolves roamed the forest, hunting animals such as deer. One such Viking had been killed by the natives when it attacked one of them, but for the most part, the wolves stayed away from villages and camps. The problems was that the number of werewolves increased over time as children matured and became warriors.

Finn turned and planted another kiss on the warm lips of his beloved. He felt aroused by this contact, but did his best to hide it.

"Kissy. Kissy," came a child's teasing voice from nearby.

Both Finn and Rika turned to see who it was. Finn was not surprised to find it was his kid brother Kol. The five-year-old could be a real nuisance. With medium brown hair and dark brown eyes, the boy looked much like Elijah, a brother almost three years younger than Finn. All other family members were blond to some degree, even Niklaus with his strawberry blond hair and golden eyebrows.

"Get back to the house!" Finn ordered.

"You can't make me," Kol said with a grin. But he turned and ran when Finn moved toward him.

"What a brat," Finn said to Rika.

"Oh, he's just a cute little boy with a mischievous bent to him." She had a couple of younger brothers, too, and she was more tolerant of their antics than Finn was of his two youngest siblings, Kol and little Rebekah. "I bet you would have been annoying if you had had an older brother or sister."

"I did."

"Did what?" she asked as they walked back through the woods to the main part of the settlement.

"I did have an older sister. Freya. She died back before we made the journey to here," he said.

"I didn't know that. I'm sorry to hear it." She and Finn were well aware that many children died early of diseases or accidents. Finn's own mother had lost a couple of babies, but luckily others lived, including Kol the brat.

"The strange part is that I dream that I saw her go away with some woman. Freya was crying and didn't want to go. My mother says it was just a dream, because Freya got sick and died. It was a terrible blow to my father. He came home from some journey and learned of her death. I think he's been angry ever since, but I suppose his anger just covers his grief."

"That's a shame, but his anger probably makes him a good warrior."

"You're probably right."

 _A/N I hope you find this story interesting. I think there are many things I can write about Finn and his family._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

They turned away from the river and headed for the main part of the settlement. Most of the homes were long-houses, much like those in other areas favored by the Scandinavians. Rika headed off to her home, while Finn went toward his own, the one occupied by Mikael's family, which included his wife and five children. In addition, there was a married couple named Bennett and a son and daughter in the house. The long-house had one large, long room with a fire pit in the middle. Over the fire was a hole in the roof, as there was no chimney.

The place had beds along the walls, enough of them to accommodate the small crowd. At the far west end was a section that housed the animals; the settlers had arrived with cows, a bull, sheep, chickens and short horses. A cow, a horse and chickens lived with Mikael's family. So did a dog. Except in winter or pouring rain, most of the people and animals spent much time outdoors.

Since the morning was nice, Finn found his family members outside, except for his mother and Bennett's Wife, as she was called. They were cooking something for breakfast. Finn saw his father sitting on one of the seats made from tree-trunk sections. The older man was honing his sword. A battle axe lay nearby.

"I told you to break off seeing that girl," Mikael growled, keeping an eye on his handiwork.

"We were just talking, Father."

"You were hugging and kissing." The man didn't look up from the sharp blade.

Finn glared at Kol who was in the doorway of the house and grinning at him. The young boy was a brat and a tattler. "Has it occurred to you that Kol might be making things up, just to cause trouble?"

"Of course, but I think he saw what he said," Mikael said, this time giving his eldest son a stony look. "I am serious, son. Her family is a good one, except for that one fault. A big fault. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," Finn said. He certainly understood, but he also still loved Rika. He turned away from his father and found Elijah, sitting on another "chair," looking at him. Obviously he had been listening. Elijah could keep his face expressionless, so it was hard to see what he was feeling. He was fifteen years old and very serious about everything. He was just the opposite of Kol.

"I suppose you have an opinion, too, brother," Finn said as he sat next to him.

"It's none of my business."

"But you must have an opinion."

In a hushed voice, lest Mikael hear, Elijah said, "I believe you are old enough to choose a wife, but one must do it wisely."

Finn just grunted. "We have a limited number of possibilities here," he finally said. "And half of them belong to that clan."

"Mostly true."

"If you're going to talk near me, speak up," Mikael snapped.

"Just boring stuff," the oldest son assured him.

The two women and three girls came from the house carrying pots of something that smelled good, a stew of sorts containing the meat of wild rabbits and squirrels. The food was ladled into bowls that were set on two slabs of wood that made one long table. For the meal Mr. Bennett, his wife and their two young girls sat at one end and the others were lined up along the rest. There was fresh milk and buttermilk for the children and a weak ale for the adults.

Finn knew Rika was eating with her family at a similar table in front of a similar house. If he married her, she would come to his house, which would not allow much privacy. Of course, they could also build a small, private cabin just for themselves. There were several in the community. Not everyone lived in a longhouse, but it was convenient for most. One of the longhouses was utilized by men who were not married.

Some days groups of men went out hunting, but this was not one of those days. Mikael's family knew he would be home most of the day and that meant he would have training sessions with his sons. None of the boys were looking forward to that. As far as he was concerned, they all were to be fighting men, able to use the sword or battle axe or spear. Each of them should be able to hit a target with a bow and arrows.

As expected, Mikael started the session after breakfast. Finn had a sword and a shield, but his father did not expect him to fight with a sharp sword. There was no need for any of them to receive a wound that might fester, that might lead to loss of a limb or cause death. So, he faced Mikael with a double-edged, metal sword that was dull all the way around. The shield was moderately heavy, but his arms were strong from practice and from using an axe to cut down trees. On his head was a thick, padded helmet. Nevertheless, the father landed a few blows that hurt and would leave big bruises. Not to be outdone, Finn landed a few blows himself. Did he receive praise for that? No. And he certainly got no pleasure from the duel. He did not have a warrior's heart and a desire for battles.

Finally, his part of the training session was over. Mikael did not sit down for a breather, but summoned his second son to step forward and defend himself. Elijah was fifteen years old and was shorter at this stage of his life than either Finn or Mikael. He was not normally an aggressive boy, but he was well-trained, and after he received a couple of painful blows from Mikael, he became angry and then attacked aggressively. Mikael liked that and he laughed and goaded Elijah on. It was the father who called a halt to that duel and he gave a nod of acknowledgement of the youth's skill.

After a few minutes' rest and a drink of cold water from the spring, Mikael summoned the third son, the eleven-year-old Niklaus. This boy was a bit shorter than Elijah and slender of build. And everyone knew he was clumsy and easily frightened. Mikael could not understand why this one boy was so different, so pathetically unskilled. Still, the child took up the sword and shield and attempted to defend himself. He was quickly defeated and found himself lying on the ground and begging his father to end the duel. He refused to get up.

Not for the first time Mikael flew into a rage. He called Niklaus a blubbering coward and several other names. He kicked the boy, who tried to get away, scrambling on the ground. Mikael yelled and kicked and the child cried. Finally, Mikael stormed away in disgust. The youngest boy, Kol, cringed back away from him in fear as he passed.

Both Finn and Elijah went to Niklaus and helped him to his feet. In fact, Finn lifted the sobbing boy and started to carry him toward the longhouse, but the youngster asked to be set down so he could walk. Finn went with him to the door where the mother stood. She was angry at her husband, but she had not interfered. Esther was afraid of him when he was that angry.

For this, Finn felt some anger toward his mother. He loved her, but she had a secret and Finn was sure he knew what it was. Years earlier Mikael and a group of men had traveled way east to where the longboats were stored beside the big river. While he was gone, Finn had seen his mother sneak out during the night, several nights in a row. The first time he assumed she was going out to relieve herself, but when she went out night after night, he was curious. He was just a child at that time, but he was concerned about her and followed one time. A half-moon lit the scene.

He watched her walk out of the clearing and into the edge of the woods. Then he spotted a man hobbling along using a crutch, and he too went into the woods. He knew the man. A member of the other clan. To the boy's surprise, he saw his mother move to the man and they hugged and kissed. Baffled and somewhat upset by this, Finn returned to the longhouse and quietly crawled into bed beside his four-year-old little brother Elijah. Finn never forgot what he had seen and later he fully understood. Niklaus was born that year, and Mikael assumed the child was his. But that was not so, and Finn knew it.

 _A/N I hope you all liked this chapter. Although the story is about the family, it will be from Finn's perspective. As the oldest sibling he is most observant and understands more than the younger ones._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"I wish Niklaus was more skilled," Finn said as he and his brother walked away from the house.

"As do I. Don't you think it is more than that?" Elijah asked his older brother who led the way back to the area where they had been practicing.

"Yes, I do. I don't know why he is so clumsy. He appears normal and he is not stupid," Finn said. "And yet he is so uncoordinated. He'll never be a warrior as Father wants." Although Finn knew the secret of the boy's parentage, he saw no reason why that would impair the child. Unless the gods frowned on what Esther had done. It did not occur to him that his mother might have something to do with the situation.

Elijah had a different thought on the subject. "I would think Mother would cast some sort of spell that would help the boy." He and Finn picked up the swords and shields left behind.

"Combined with that of Bennett's Wife, a strong spell would help Niklaus, I'm sure."

Everyone in the colony knew Esther and the wife of Bennett were witches. Not bad witches, for they were good at herbal medicines and various healings. It was because of the two women that the large group had made the long trek from the mouth of the big river to this inland place. Both women had felt the power of the ley line in the earth. When they had reached this area, about one hundred miles from the coast, they had suddenly felt this was "the place" where another such line met the first. Mikael and the other leaders had been willing to take the word of the women, and in this location near the blue-green mountains they settled.

There was unending forest, natural meadows and plentiful water in streams and springs. There was ample wildlife to hunt and decent-sized fish in most of the streams. If the settlers missed the sea and that type of fishing, they did not complain. Here, the weather was rarely frigid, although the summers were hot. Life was pleasant. And there were the native Skrealings, who were aware of the magic of the area and did not have a village there. They were friendly at first and not so much later. All of this Finn had seen as a young child and as he grew toward manhood.

"It's just such a shame he doesn't improve," the younger brother murmured as they put the weapons in their place. They looked around and saw that Niklaus was lying on one of the beds. Esther was whispering to the boy and brushed some hair from his forehead. She applied some sort of herbal paste to a wound, but then she moved away. The two other young children talked to him. The little girl Rebekah even climbed onto the bed and nestled beside him.

Finn went to his mother who had gone outside and was sitting by the table now. She was sewing on a piece of finely tanned deer hide, making a tunic for one of the family members. "I don't understand why you don't help him, Mother." He swept his hand toward the door and the children inside. He meant that she use a spell to help the boy, but apparently she would not.

"He is as he is, Finn. My fussing over him will not change him. Under other circumstances, he would be considered a good child. I think he'll improve with age, but I doubt he will ever be as good a fighter as your father wants him to be."

"I don't see that ever happening, either," Finn admitted. He was tempted to say that the boy's _real_ father was a good fighter, so that was not the problem. He didn't say it. The man in question was brother to Rika's father. What would be the relationship of Finn to Niklaus if he married Rika? The boy was Rika's cousin, although she didn't know it, and also Finn's half-brother.

"Mother, I really wish to marry Rika. I do love her."

"I can see that, son, but there is not way that your father would allow it," the woman said.

She was in her mid-thirties, having given birth to Freya early in her seventeenth year. Now, Finn was already a year older than she was when Mikael married her. She had lived in the part of Europe called Holland, a section of the Netherlands, when she and her sister had been abducted by the Viking crew lead by Mikael. Although she had become fascinated by the man, Dahlia had not. In fact, the older sister, also a witch, could not understand how Esther could fall in love with her captor.

When Esther had come to realize that she was not able to bear a child for her husband, she had begged Dahlia to help by casting a spell. The older sister had agreed, on the condition that at some point, she would claim the first-born child. Esther had agreed, at the time not caring what this really meant. But the day came when she had had to give up Freya, her first-born. She never told her husband or little Finn the truth, and she could only hope that the child would be happy.

Finn looked at his mother now, seeing a woman who still looked pretty, although there were signs of age on her face. He and Elijah knew of her abduction and, according to her, she had willingly accepted the life with Mikael. That life had not been easy, he knew, but she had obviously thrived in it. She claimed she still had love for the man and she certainly loved her children.

"I'm a man now," he said to her. "I think I can make my own choices, regardless of what Father wants. In this place no one marries for money or position."

Esther shook her head slightly. "He will likely insist that you move out of the house if you bring Rika into it. He doesn't dislike her specifically, you know. It's the children he doesn't want here."

"Although I want sons, daughters would not be a danger."

"You can't choose. You get what you get. Mikael considers that her clan is fouled by their affliction."

"It's not fair, Mother!" He then lowered his voice so it did not carry into the house. "Rika is a wonderful person. Her parents are decent people."

"Her father turns with the full moon." She looked up at him with a slight tilt to her head.

"So does her uncle!" Finn said, and yet he still said nothing about his mother's indiscretion with that man.

"That's true. So do many of the men in her clan. It doesn't change anything, son. If you married her and she gave you sons, they would carry the affliction. Would you want your child running wild in the forest as a wolf?"

"Of course not. Would you?" It was the closest he came to saying he knew what Niklaus was. He loved his mother and really did not want to hurt her feelings or cause her shame.

"No. Definitely not." Esther shook her head and looked away from Finn. She could not look him in the eye.

After all these years, Finn finally realized that perhaps his mother was the cause of the boy's ineffectiveness at fighting, his timidity, and the unlikelihood that Niklaus would ever kill anyone and turn. This idea was not welcome to Finn. He didn't like to see the boy put in such an awful position with Mikael. It wasn't right. But he didn't accuse his mother of using her magic to make Niklaus what he now was.

"Mother, if Father was not against my marrying Rika, would you welcome her?"

"Yes. I like her. I think she would make you a good wife," Esther admitted. "But what I think about it does not matter."

"It does to me," her son answered.

"Thank you, Finn. You're a good boy." She gave him a loving smile and reached out to touch his hand. "Even if your father decided to allow the marriage, you know we here at this settlement can't meet all the usual rituals associated with a wedding."

"Yes, I know. But Erik and Ingrid married without all the rituals of the old country. I see no reason why Rika and I can't." He referred to the two young people who had married the year before, but their situation was not entirely identical to his. The big difference was that neither of them carried the werewolf trait. "Except for Father's objection, of course."

"Which is enough. I'll try to sway his thinking."

"Thank you, Mother." He put a kiss on her cheek and then left to walk in the woods and try to decide what to do.

 _A/N I'm not sure if any of the Norse codes of behavior in the Viking era would forbid Finn from marrying Rika, but since they are in a foreign land, I would think they would have fewer rules of behavior. Anyway, I hope you find this story interesting. Thanks for reading._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Before Finn entered the wooded area that lead down to the river, he saw the man Anders talking to another man as they walked across the open center of the village. Anders walked with a limp, a reminder of the injury he had received years ago, twelve years ago, to be exact. To Finn, it was galling to think his mother had ignored his father's rejection of the werewolf bloodline, and yet she had brought forth such a child into Mikael's family. If her husband knew the facts, would he kill Niklaus? Probably not. He would likely send the child back to its father. Would Esther let him do that? Did she have enough influence over Mikael to keep her child?

Finn felt some pity for the boy, but he didn't love him. He didn't love Kol either. Finn did not have much of a sense of humor, and Kol's pension for jokes and silly trickery was most annoying. Of his siblings, Finn preferred serious Elijah and darling little Rebekah.

That evening Mikael announced that a group of men would make the trek to where the ships were stored. Every two or three years such a trip was taken. The ships were inspected and if necessary, repaired. One long boat was then put into the water where the river was navigable and the crew set out for a fishing trip to catch something larger than the river fish. Of more importance, it was an opportunity to educate the older boys to the ways of the sea. Finn had been on such a trip three years before. It had been exciting, hard work and sometimes dangerous. Finn, already used to the farming life, had no desire for the sea, but seeing other lands intrigued him. Perhaps some day.

This year, Elijah would go. Finn noted that Niklaus showed no desire to have the experience, but of course at eleven, he was not chosen. What would happen when it was his turn in another three years? As for Kol, the child was jumping up and down with enthusiasm and begging Mikael to let him go too. The father said no.

"Finn, you will be the man of the house while I am gone. You'll work with the other men staying here. I doubt there will be any big decisions about the settlement that you cannot handle."

"Yes, Father. I am quite aware of how you run things here," he assured his father. He noted that the details of the trip were on Mikael's mind and the man seemed to give no thought to the question of Rika. In Finn's mind, there were possibilities. He also knew that, for the most part, his mother was the one who ran the house and the garden. Like the other women, she prepared meals, sewed clothing, did some doctoring and raised the children. She was busy all the time.

He also knew that she had a close friendship with Bennett's Wife, since the two women lived in the same longhouse and both had children. In addition, both women were witches. The house was crowded. So was Rika's home. Finn considered that if he and she did marry, they likely should start their own house.

The subject of Rika did not come up again during the two days of preparation for the trip. Finn suspected Mikael was avoiding it on purpose, not wanting to argue. Rika's father was among the men going on the trip. Two women were also going, along with several other boys now old enough. When the group set off for the big river and the ships, they took with them a string of pack horses carrying supplies. The animals would also be needed on the return trip.

Finn stood with his mother and his siblings as they watched the group depart. He knew that Elijah was enthusiastic about this adventure, or at least as enthusiastic as Elijah ever got. Niklaus watched with some enthusiasm also, but Finn suspected that the boy would not mind if somehow Mikael drowned at sea. Kol watched with frustration, wishing he was part of the group.

One of the men who left was Mr. Bennett, which was one reason Mikael had left Finn in charge of the house. Since the womenfolk knew their daily chores, there was little Finn had to supervise. He, Niklaus, Kol and the family dog took the grazing animals to one of the two meadows to feed. Each boy carried a spear with a sharp metal tip. He left the two boys to watch the animals. They were not the only ones there, because there was always the danger of wild beasts or the native people trying to get a cow or sheep. Pigs were kept in pens so that they did not escape into the woods, but that meant food had to be brought to them. Chickens had the run of the community. The livestock would be brought back to the various longhouses and pens later in the day.

The next morning started with several boys chasing a young pig who had managed to get free of the large pen owned by one of the families. There were actually quite a few pigs in the settlement, descendants of the original ones brought on one of the ships. The group of boys tore around the village in a wild chase. The small pig was fast and did a lot of squealing. It found the open door of the stock pen at the far end of Mikael's longhouse. In a moment the animal squeezed under the wooden rails and into the Bennett living quarters.

Bennett's Wife screamed at the small beast and got after it with her broom. It ran into Esther's portion of the house and she too took her broom and chased it toward the door. Finn was just coming inside to help, when he literally ran into the little porker and tripped over it. As he fell, he reached out and grabbed the squealing animal by its hind legs and held on tightly. It scrambled and twisted, but Finn didn't let go. The oldest boy who was in pursuit had a rope and put it around the pig's neck. When the fellow could not drag the pig, he finally picked up the weighty beast and carried it, squealing loudly, back to the pen.

Finn dusted himself off and went into the house. "We should have roast pork tomorrow," he muttered to his mother.

Esther chuckled and put away her broom. "I'll speak to Greta about that. Her sow had quite a litter. How did things look in the meadow?"

"Fine. I didn't see any threat. I left Thor with them."

"Good." The dog Thor was four years old, having been born in the community. It was half Irish Wolfhound, so it was a big dog and not afraid of anything. However, it was wary of Mikael, due to the fact that the man had tripped over it while drunk and had kicked the dog. Although it would sometimes chase rabbits, squirrels, deer and other wild animals, it was usually obedient, coming when called.

"Let us hope he doesn't chase a skunk again," Esther said, making a face at the idea of the stink. It had taken a while to get the odor off the dog, despite several dips in the river.

That evening Finn invited Rika to supper. With Mikael and Elijah gone, there was room for a guest. Esther made her feel welcome, as did all the others of the house. After the pleasant meal, Finn and Rika walked together to the spot close above the riverbank. They sat side by side, with his arm around her shoulders, and they talked. They also shared some kisses, but they did nothing else intimate. Neither of them, in fact, had ever had real sex.

"I want us to marry before my father returns," he told her. "If you still wish to have me as your husband."

"I haven't changed my mind. Of course I want to be your wife. But who will marry us?"

"I wonder if Father Bart would do a handfasting ceremony." There was a Swedish priest among the group of settlers because some of them were Christian families, but also because the Catholic Church hoped Father Bart could convert some of the native people and perhaps more of the Norse families.

"I think he would prefer to do a Christian wedding, and neither of us is Christian."

"My mother was raised a Christian in Holland."

"Yes, you told me that," Rika said.

"She even has a Bible. It's in Latin, but she has often told us stories because she has them memorized. My father isn't interested in that, but we children have been intrigued by it sometimes. It isn't as exciting or adventurous as the stories of our Norse gods."

"Our gods are warriors or have other powers," Rika said, nodding. Changing the subject, she said, "I don't know what we should do about marrying, but I agree it would be wise to do so before your father returns. I know my family has nothing against my marrying you. Mother has said so."

"And my mother really likes you," Finn said with a smile.

Rika couldn't see the smile in the darkness, but she could hear it in his tone of voice. She squeezed his hand.

"I think we should have a house of our own. A small one, at first." Finn envisioned a neat little house, similar to a longhouse, but short. It would be enough for their family until they had too many children. He ignored the fact that some or all of those children would carry the werewolf trait.

"Oh, I agree. A house of our own." She gave a wistful sigh. She was the third child of eight in her house and always helped her mother with the youngest siblings.

Rika was inclined to face the facts. After a long pause, filled with the soft sounds of kissing, she said, "I wish my family was not plagued by the werewolf thing." Her two older brothers, one of them born in Norway, were Ragnar and Rolle. Having fought and killed at least one native each, they transformed on the full moon like their father Jan.

"I wish likewise," Finn said. "I know from my father's tales of the voyage from Europe, and from a vague memory, that the ships would put the afflicted men and women ashore for the nights of the full moon. No one wanted a vicious animal loose on board, of course. I still have this vague vision of a woman taking off all her clothes, except a thin, white shift, before going into the forest with men wearing just a piece of cloth around their hips. At the time, I really had not understood what was meant by turning or transforming into a wolf."

"I hope I never change. I understand it hurts greatly, but then it is wonderful to run free."

After a pause, he said, "My brother Elijah once asked my father if the wolves mated while out there in the forest."

"What did your father say?"

"He said he thought they sometimes did, but apparently there were never any wolf cubs. So, who knows? Do you?"

"My mother says Aunt Greta says she did mate with one of the males, but she was never with child."

"That is strange. Please never turn."

"I promise I won't," she murmured, and she kissed him again.

 _A/N Will Rika be able to keep that promise? Will she and Finn get married? Maybe._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

When they came up for air, Rika thought for a moment and then suggested, "Maybe we could get the gothi Mr. Erikson to do the ceremony."

"He's getting old and feeble. It's been at least two years since the last time he married a couple."

"He's done it so many times, he could probably do it in his sleep, Finn. And we could tell him to just do a simple ceremony. A handfasting. We say vows. Maybe even a pig sacrifice. A small one."

"I guess so. And a nice pig roast for the celebration dinner afterward," Finn agreed, nodding. "And we have plenty of mead to drink."

"Your father will be angry when he returns. My father might be also. He will miss the ceremony. None of my distant kin will be here."

"Is that important to you? I mean, our life is here. Our close kin are here. Everyone else is in Europe."

"Some are trekking to the ships downriver." Her tone reflected a bit of regret.

"Do you want to wait?" Finn did not really want to wait, fearing Mikael would prevent the marriage as he had already forbidden it.

"I don't know. Well, yes I do. I fear your father."

"So do I, darling, at least in this matter."

"Alright. I'll talk to my mother. My family."

"And I will talk to my mother."

They made their way back to the big clearing around which many of the housed were located. Before he walked her to her door, he stopped by the tree, a large white oak, growing in the center of the clearing.

"Did you ever wonder how old this tree is?" he asked. He could see stars shining between the leaves and branches.

"Not really. It's big, so it must be old."

"My mother always told us that it had been spared the axe because it was located on the crossing of the area's two lines of power in the earth. It's considered special."

"I believe that. I fell out of the tree, but all I got were some bumps and bruises. No broken bones."

"I guess almost every child in the community has climbed up into it, and certainly, me too, when I was young, but I didn't fall out." His father would have had harsh words if his oldest son had been that careless. He gave the tree's trunk a friendly pat, and then they went to her house. At her door he gave her a quick kiss, said goodnight, and then crossed the open area to his home.

When he entered the house the two younger children were asleep in the same bed. Esther was sitting on a bed reading to Niklaus from her Bible. The eleven-year-old, who was leaning against her, was sleepy, but listening. Finn sat down near them and listened. His mother could read enough of the Latin that she knew which story the passage was. Then she related it to the boy in the Norse language.

"I think that is enough for tonight, sweetheart," she said to Niklaus. "You are about to fall asleep."

"It is so nice when Father is away," the boy said, sitting up straight. When his mother stood up, the youngster lay down. He shared a bed with Elijah, and with the older boy away, he had the bed to himself.

"Sometimes that is true," the woman agreed. She had been reading by the light of a simple oil lamp and she now moved it to the shelf. Finn, because of his size, had a bed of his own, while his parents slept closely on their own bed. All beds were against the long walls.

"I'd like to discuss something with you," Finn said to his mother. He glanced at the other end of the longhouse where Bennett and his family lived. Except for the younger children, the rest were up and gathered around the second cooking/heating fire. They were talking among themselves, laughing now and then. A low fire and an oil lamp lit their faces.

Esther and Finn found seats near their own beds. "Is this about you and Rika?" she asked.

Finn raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You always know what is on our minds," he said with a small smile. "We want to marry, Mother. Before Father comes back." He kept his voice low so his words were just for her.

"I'm not surprised, but I doubt it is a wise decision."

"I know. If we don't marry while he is away, we probably will not be able to. We want to have a small house of our own and start a family. I don't think that is too much to ask, is it?"

"You have no house of your own, small or not," Esther pointed out. "What have you got to offer her? Her parents will want to know."

"You mean besides my love?"

"Yes."

"I hunt and fish. I do the kind of work the other men do. I contribute to this community."

"I agree. You do, but do you do enough to warrant a house of your own?"

"Mother, this house is already full. Or it will be when Father and Elijah return. And I don't think I can _be_ with Rika under those conditions, if you know what I mean." He felt some redness of embarrassment creep into his face, but he doubted his mother could see it in the dim light.

"Have you _been_ with her already? Is she with child?"

"No! We have not done that." He was aware that his parent did the thing from time to time under the covers of their bedding. There was little privacy in the longhouse. Still, he would not feel at all comfortable bedding Rika under the watchful eyes and ears of the house's occupants. He was especially aware that he was not experienced and their first time might be awkward.

"This will take some time for thought and preparation," Esther said and she reached out and touched his arm.

"Then you will talk to her parents?"

"You must do that first."

"I know." Finn was pleased that his mother was considering letting her son marry Rika, even though Mikael was away. However, Rika's father Jan was also away.

The situation changed somewhat the next morning when Jan unexpectedly returned, helped by another man. Jan had his left arm in a splint and sling and he was limping badly. Many in the village gathered to find out what had happened. This included Jan's brother Anders, who also had a limp. While his injuries were evaluated, he explained that he was injured while crossing a river. He has slipped on rocks and fallen, breaking his arm and twisting his ankle. It seemed foolish for him to continue on when the village was closer than the ships. And besides, he would be more of a handicap than a help with the ships. The man who had helped him return ate a meal and then hurried away to overtake the rest of the party.

Finn saw this mishap as a stumbling block to his wedding to Rika. The family would be much more concerned with Jan's situation than with discussing the daughter's wedding, at least for a while. Even Rika was more worried about her father, rather than spending time with Finn.

While Kol and other boys took the cows and sheep to graze, Finn took the time to work with Niklaus and the boy's fighting technique, which was poor. Unlike Mikael, the older brother was more patient and did not push or rush Niklaus. Nor did he chide the child severely when he made a mistake. Although Finn did not particularly like the boy, he also saw no reason to treat him harshly. It did no good to destroy the boy's self-confidence, what little of it he had.

"You did better this time." They put away the weapons they had been using before going to the house for a midday meal.

"I should do better," Niklaus said with a sigh. "I try, Finn. I really do."

"I know you do." He had heard the boy say that many times. If his clumsiness was due to some spell made by Esther, it just did not seem fair. "Perhaps if you ever face a real enemy you will have the skill you need to defend yourself."

"Do you think I will?"

"In danger, a man becomes a real fighter. You will. You'll see." He was pleased to see a grin on the boy's face. "Eat your lunch and then go to the meadow and send Kol back."

Finn himself had chores that he needed to do. He realized that he would likely have no chance to talk to Rika privately until evening came.

 _A/N Things do not seem to be going Finn's way. A_ _gothi_ _was a non-Christian priest in Viking society. Thanks for reading._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Kol came from the pasture and had his midday meal. Finn then took the time to work with the boy on some of his fighting technique with a wooden sword. The older brother had to be skilled in order to train Kol, for the five-year-old boy was fast, wild and unpredictable in his moves. He was sneaky and laughed happily if he managed to touch the older brother with his wooden weapon.

"Enough, little brother. Get your spear and go on back to the meadow," Finn finally said, holding out his hand for the small sword.

"I could beat Niklaus at this kind of fighting," the boy boasted as he handed over the weapon.

"Yes, you probably could. But don't tease him. Father gives him a hard enough time."

"Father is mean," the boy agreed. "But Nik isn't very clever."

"He may be more clever in his thinking than in his fighting," Finn said with a chuckle.

"What good is that in a fight?"

"It makes him more clever than you think. Now, go back to the meadow."

The older brother watched the boy dash off to the field. There were other boys there, of course, and Finn knew they often played games while they were supposed to be watching for animals wandering off or wild animals seeking prey. A few of the older boys, like Niklaus, were more likely to keep watch, which could be a boring job.

Finn had a few minutes to go to Rika's house to see how her father was doing. He found Jan sitting at an outside table. The man was attended by his wife and daughters. His arm was newly bound to a board, and his foot and ankle were propped up

on a wooden stool and wrapped for support. He held a flask and sipped from it frequently.

"I hear you now wish to marry my daughter while your father is away," the man said, eyeing Finn. He let out a soft belch and winced.

"Yes, sir. I'm ashamed to say my father does not want us to marry." Finn guessed that he was drunk as he medicated himself against the pain.

"I know that. He hasn't kept it a secret. He considered me and my kin tainted."

Finn smiled slightly, but he did not reveal what he knew about Niklaus. Maybe Jan didn't even know about Niklaus' parentage. "I love Rika. In my mind I don't think our children would be 'tainted'."

"You must be honest with yourself, Finn. The children would likely carry on the trait. Would you stand by them if the trait manifested itself?"

"Of course I would. I don't see your family shunning you because you turn each full moon."

Rika's mother gasped at such a frank statement, but Rika just laughed. She often saw humor in some of the things he said, which were not necessarily meant to be funny.

"I was an adult and so was my wife at the time we married," Jan said.

"I have eighteen years. I'm a man," Finn said firmly.

"Barely. However, I do think you are a responsible person. My daughter says you want to build a house of your own."

"My father's house is already crowded with two full families. Yours is also full," Finn pointed out.

"I suspect you are more concerned about privacy," Jan said with a smile.

"That, too," Finn admitted and he felt his face getting red.

"It would be a temporary shelter. It takes time to build a substantial house."

"Yes, sir. I know. Aside from my love and my ability to defend her, I have little to give her. Or to you."

"We are an isolated village with few of niceties of value," Jan agreed. "Rika will have little in the way of a dowry."

"That's not important to me. My mother says we are welcome in her house for meals and other things. I don't want to be cut off from my family, but I have no idea what my father will do."

"He may be very angry. Nevertheless, Rika and her husband will always be welcome here," Jan said, and his wife nodded. "I give you permission to wed my daughter Rika."

The girl in question grinned broadly. "Thank you, Father." She rushed into Finn's arms and kissed his cheek.

He hugged her closely and with relief. Now, they had to make plans. Mikael and the group would be gone for some time, but likely long enough for the wedding to take place and for the little shelter to be made.

Finn's happiness was shattered by the sound of the big wolfhound barking frantically. Something was wrong in the meadow. Finn let go of Rika. "That sounds bad." He turned away and ran toward his house. Grabbing his sword, he sprinted through the nearby trees and along the path leading to the pasture. As he got closer, he heard another dog barking and the frightened voices of the guard children. Other people from the village also came running.

As he broke from the trees, he was able to see what the problem was. At the right side of the meadow several boys were gathered, their spears held ready and pointing at a big animal. It was a large, male black bear standing on its hind legs so that it towered over the boys.

Finn swore to himself as he noted that the boy closest to the beast was Niklaus. Was he trying to show everyone that he was not afraid? Niklaus had not yet experienced a growth spurt and so he was still short. In addition, Finn feared for Kol who was rash enough to do something foolish. If either of the boys were mauled or killed it would be a disaster for the family.

He ran toward the scene and came to Kol first. The boy looked pale, now that he was confronted by a big danger. "Kol, give me that spear. Go help with the herd."

"No, I want to fight the bear!"

In his best imitation of Mikael, Finn roared, " Don't argue with me! Do as I say!"

Kol cringed and gave up his spear. He then ran toward the herd where a few cows were escaping into the woods.

Finn pushed through several defenders until he came to Niklaus. The huge bear was very close and Finn could smell it. The boy was as pale from fright as Kol had been. The spear was shaking in his hand. Finn took hold of Niklaus' arm and pulled him backward.

"Move back! I know you are trying to show your courage, Niklaus, but you could be killed. You've showed enough bravery, so stay back!" He saw the boy hesitate and then show a look of relief. "Go help hunt for the escaped stock." Niklaus turned and ran to help the other boys.

Finn, armed with a sword and a spear, now faced the bear, which towered over him as it roared and spit blood. It was trying to maul anyone it could reach. Enraged and bleeding from the various wounds inflicted by those men who had come to the scene, it took a swipe at Finn just as he thrust the spear into the bear's chest Huge claws raked his arm, shredding his shirt sleeve and drawing blood. Pain shot up into his shoulder and he tried to back out of reach. The monster roared and focused its reddened eyes on him. Finn's only weapon now was the sword.

 _A/N This is not a good situation for Finn, needless to say. Will he be injured further by the fierce bear? Thanks for reading, guys._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

A man on the other side of the bear stabbed it and it turned away from Finn. The young man saw his opportunity and with both hands, thrust the big sword blade deep into the burly chest. He felt the metal slide between ribs, and he was sure the sword sliced lung tissue and, hopefully, the heart. He yanked the steel blade out as the bear swung toward him again.

"Get back, Finn. You've done all you can," a man behind him yelled, and Finn felt himself pulled backward and out of reach of the maddened animal.

"How can it still be on its feet?" he gasped to Rika's uncle Anders.

"It's fighting for its life. And loosing, but it won't quit until if falls dead," the man said. "Come. My spear is in the beast and I can do no more."

"You can take my sword," Finn said, but he was shaking, the weapon was bloody and it slipped from him hand.

"No. There's no need. See, the beast is going down now," Anders said. "I'll walk you to your house." He picked up the weapon.

"Only my arm is wounded," Finn protested, not wanting the man to think him weak. But, in fact, he was feeling a bit unsteady now. He didn't look at his left arm. He didn't want to see how badly it was injured. Badly enough that it was hurting more and more. "It just needs to be washed and bound." He also called to the big dog that was biting at the bear's back end. After a moment, the dog obeyed and came to him.

"He's been wounded on his shoulder," Anders said, "but it doesn't look bad."

"Good." To the dog he said, "Good boy. You are a brave dog."

The shaggy animal looked up at one of his people and sniffed at the blood dripping from the wounded arm. He gave a little whine of concern.

"Father would have my head if anything happened to this dog," Finn said.

"Or if anything happened to you or the boys."

"Neither of them were hurt I think," Finn said as they walked from the trees to the clearing.

"No. I don't believe so. Your mother would be devastated should any of you die."

Finn had to have been frightened by the danger Niklaus had faced, but he also must have been proud of the boy when Finn informed him, "Niklaus was terrified, but he was facing the bear bravely."

"I didn't see that. I wasn't there yet. Was he alright?" Anders asked as he limped along. He never complained about his old injury.

"Probably wet his pants, but he was not injured," Finn said grimly.

Anders gave a nervous chuckle and said no more about the younger boy. They faced the various women and small children who waited for the results of the meadow battle. Rika was there and hurried to Finn. So did Esther with Rebekah held on her hip.

"It's just some scratches, Mother," Finn said, his other arm going around Rika's waist. "It was a huge bear. It's dead now. Niklaus and Kol are alright."

"Oh, that's a relief! But come, let me take care of your wound," Esther insisted.

Anders held the bloodied sword out to Finn, who took his arm from around Rika so he could receive it.

"Thank you," the younger man said. He then followed his mother to the area outside the home's doorway, where he took a seat. His mother brought some clothes and her sowing kit from inside the house. She also brought a jug of something to drink, something alcoholic from one of the village's stills.

"Take a couple of good swallows of this, son. Cleaning the wounds is going to hurt." She watched as he did as he was told.

Finn then sat as still as he could while he let Rika, Esther and Bennett's Wife administer aid to his wounded arm. It was very painful, but he gritted his teeth and bore it. He had no intention of showing the weakness and nausea he was feeling. This was his first serious battle wound.

While this was going on, Kol came back to the village. In his arms he carried a small, dead lamb, blood on its white wool. It dangled limply as he approached his mother and brother.

In tears he said the bear had mauled it before the boys had seen that the little one had wandered away from its mother. "It tried to get away, but it didn't get far. It's one of ours," Kol sobbed. "I'm sorry, Mother." He had a love of animals, except for marauding bears and mountain lions.

"I would rather it be the lamb than you, sweetheart," Esther said to her youngster.

Bennett's Wife spoke up, "Come with me, Kol. The lamb must not go to waste."

Finn watched the two walk to the end of the long house. It occurred to him that Kol was more concerned about the lamb than about wounded Finn. The woman would save the hide and carefully cut the meat from the little animal. She would make Kol help.

"Was Niklaus hurt at all?" Ester finally asked her son.

"Not that I could see. He went to help round up the sheep and cattle that were running in fright. He was facing the bear bravely, Mother." She nodded and he was sure Esther was pleased to hear that. Or was she? Did it worry her that the boy was brave, rather than ready to run to safety? Did she really love Niklaus more than her other children?

"I'm sorry I'm hurting you," she said as she used a thread to stitch some flesh together.

Finn glanced at the four gouges on his left forearm. His mother was tacking down a strip of flesh. The bleeding had mostly stopped. He swallowed against the nausea and looked away.

"You'll have scars to show your father. He admires battle scars."

"Even from a bear?"

"Of course. A bear is as dangerous as any other armed enemy. Open and close your hand. Good. The muscles and tendon's are intact enough to keep your hand useful."

Rika had left to return to her own home to make sure her father was alright and not needing anything. Finn was relieved as a tear of pain gathered in his eyes. He wanted her to see him as a strong, brave and stoic man. He wanted to be that way in his father's eyes also. As far as he could recall, he had seen his father in tears of sorrow only when Esther had told the man that Freya, the first born, had died, and that had been about sixteen years ago. Would Mikael shed tears if any other of them died?

Several men who had gone to the pasture and who had fought the bear, came to see how Finn was doing.

"It seems I'll live," he said, forcing a smile.

"The bear is being butchered. We think your sword thrust is what finally killed him. The hide will be yours. We have no idea what the creature has been eating, so there is no telling what the meat will taste like, but it will be doled out to the families. They can eat it or not. The dogs surely will."

"Were any dogs killed or seriously injured?" Finn asked.

"Nothing serious. The boys are still rounding up stock. I think there is only one cow missing now."

Finn looked up at the sun. There was still plenty of daylight left. "The stock might as well keep grazing, if they have settled down. So, all we have lost is one lamb."

"That seems to be it," one of the men agreed.

Rika returned and looked at him, assessing how he looked. In her opinion, he appeared pale, but she guessed it was from both the danger and the pain. She watched as Esther bound the wounded arm in some cloth. There was not much old cloth left after all the years the settlers had been away from Europe. However, all the women and female children knew how to spin wool thread and weave fabric on the homemade looms.

Finn looked around and said, "There's work I need to be doing." However, he now felt too tired to do anything.

"There's no need," one of the men still there said. "Tell me what you need to do and we'll get it done. Have another long drink of that brew and go rest."

"It's just my arm," Finn insisted, although he would prefer to spend the rest of the day relaxing under the influence of the drink. He was not used to being wounded and in pain. He had received plenty of bruises in mock fights with his father and with Elijah, but this was different.

"You'll rest that arm a while," his mother said.

Finn gave up the argument and followed his mother into the house. He was surprised to find himself a bit woozy from the drink. He hadn't thought he had swallowed that much. He had been drunk before with friends and his father, but apparently he was more susceptible to strong drink than many. He had actually fallen asleep at one celebration. His mother insisted that he lie on his bed and rest. Little Rebekah climbed onto the bed and snuggled next to him. In no time, he fell asleep. He didn't know that Rika and his mother kept a worried eye on him, hoping the gashes did not become infected and cause blood poisoning.

 _A/N Finn never was a boisterous party guy because more than a little alcohol put him to sleep. Some people are like that. What will happen next in his life?_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Finn woke to a throbbing pain in his left arm and to children laughing. In addition he smelled food cooking. He was hungry and he had to pee. With a groan he sat up in his bed and for a moment he felt dizzy. It passed quickly.

"It's about time you woke up," Kol said from nearby. The large room was dark except for the warm light cast around by the central fire.

"Did you find that cow?"

"I didn't lose it! Niklaus did."

"No, I didn't," the older boy said. "It ran off while I was trying to stop the bear. And the cow is with the others now."

"She's alright?" Finn asked the middle brother.

"I think she enjoyed her run in the woods," Niklaus said with a slight smile. Then his smile faded. "Does your arm hurt?"

"Very much. Niklaus, come with me." Finn slowly got off the bed.

"Why? Where are we going?"

"Outside. I have to relieve myself and I feel groggy and unsteady. Let me put a hand on your shoulder to steady myself." He kept the left forearm close to his chest. If he let it hang down, it really throbbed.

"Oh. Alright. I don't have to help you with…?"

"No. I can do that myself," Finn said with a chuckle.

"How come you're groggy?" the boy asked as they made their way out the door.

"I guess I had more mead than I thought." The truth was that his mother had drugged him so he would sleep for a while.

While Finn used his right hand to do what he needed to do, Niklaus held onto the upper part of Finn's left arm. But as the older brother turned to go back to the front of the house, he passed out cold and fell to the ground. The smaller boy could not prevent the fall, so he ran around to the front of the house and yelled, "Mother, Finn fell down!"

"Can he get up?" Esther asked as she hurried to round the corner of the house.

"No. He passed out."

She came to her fallen son, but she couldn't see much because the night was dark. "Niklaus, go get Bennett's Wife and a torch." She was able to roll Finn over onto his right side, and she noted that he was breathing, but not at all awake. She wondered if the drug she had given him was the cause of his passing out, although he had not seemed faint when he had come out of the house.

The rest of her children, plus three Bennett children and their mother came to the spot. Niklaus carried one of the lit touches.

"Finn! Finn, wake up!" Esther called, shaking his shoulder a bit.

Finn did wake suddenly and he looked around in confusion. "What happened?" he managed to ask.

"You passed out," his mother explained. "Were you dizzy?"

"No. I don't think so," Finn said. He was embarrassed to be lying on the ground with everyone staring down at him. "I can get up." He thought himself lucky not to have passed out while in the middle of emptying his bladder.

"First, sit up," his mother ordered. She held out a hand and he took it so she could pull him up into a sitting position. She then noticed that his left arm was bleeding through the bandage. "We'll have to take a look at this again."

"I can get up, Mother. I'll walk to where you can see better." Nevertheless, Esther took hold of his right arm, while Bennett's Wife took a grip on the upper part of his left arm. They did get him on his feet, although he swayed for a moment. The rough outdoor table was set for dinner, but he took a seat there. Room was made for the care of his arm.

It was some time before the meal could resume and by that time Finn was really hungry. They had the roasted lamb along with some vegetables and cornbread. He didn't drink any more mead, although the pain in his arm made him want to do so. Maybe before he went to bed he would take a good swallow.

The village folk also had roast bear meat. It turned out that the meat tasted satisfactory, due to the fact that the animal had been feasting on vegetation rather than any rank carcasses.

Before bedtime for the children, Rika came over to visit Finn as he and his family sat outside. He chose not to mention what had happened, because it embarrassed him. He was glad his father was not there.

Little Rebekah piped up, "Finn went to make peepee and he fell down and he went to sleep and Mama woke him up and his arm was bleeding."

Esther, Niklaus, Kol and Rika looked at the child and then at Finn. He knew he was blushing with embarrassment in the light of the fire.

"Come on, Rebekah," Niklaus said and he held out his hand to her. "Time for bed."

"Will you tell me a story?" Rebekah took his hand and they went toward the door.

"Of course. Don't I usually tell you a story?"

"You tell good stories."

"You come too, Kol," Niklaus added.

"I'm not ready for bed," the boy said.

"Yes, you are," his mother said firmly.

Kol hung his head and pouted as he followed Niklaus and Rebekah.

Rika eyed her betrothed and asked, "What really happened?"

"Pretty much what little blabber-mouth said. I was coming back to the front of the house when I suddenly passed out. I don't even remember feeling dizzy." He shook his head in wonder. "Mother had to re-dress this wound." He held up his left arm.

"You were so brave today," Rika said, her arms around his shoulders. She kissed his cheek.

He turned his head and kissed her lips, even though his mother was right there. He didn't feel any pain in his arm while he was kissing his love. He wanted her to stay a while, but she said she had to get back home. In a few minutes, she kissed him again and said goodnight both to him and to Esther.

He would have slept poorly that night, except that his mother made him drink something that tasted bitter. She told him it would help him feel better and it did so. The next thing he knew was that a rooster was crowing loudly near the house. There were many chickens in the village—roosters and many hens that laid eggs for the citizens.

There was only a hint of dawn as Mikael's family faced a new day. Finn added to his mother's firewood pile and Niklaus brought two pails of water from the town well. The latter had been dug at a small spring because it was much closer than a trip down to the river for water.

As Finn gathered the wood in his arms a girl of about sixteen came to stand by him. It was Celesta, the younger of Bennett's daughters. At one time Finn had been attracted to her older sister Grace, but that girl was often in a snippy mood. The oldest Bennett son was now twenty years old, had married and had moved into his in-laws' longhouse. Finn wondered if Grace would ever marry.

"Good morning, Celesta," he said to the girl watching him. They lived in the same house, but each family kept somewhat separate.

"Why are you going to marry Rika? You know she's a werewolf." There was a tone of disapproval in her voice.

"I want to marry Rika because I love her and she loves me. We may be lucky and no son of ours will turn."

"I don't think you should take the chance, Finn. I know your father will be angry when he comes back."

"Probably," Finn growled. He was sure Mikael would be angry. He might even kick Finn and his bride out of the longhouse. That was why Finn wanted a small house right away.

"Absolutely," the girl said firmly.

"I appreciate your concern, but really, Celesta, it's none of your business." He saw her scowl at him and he knew why. She had a crush on him and probably hoped he would choose her instead of Rika. "The goddess of love Freyja has shown me that Rika is the one."

Celesta snorted and turned away, stomping back to the house ahead of Finn with his armload of wood. He had a smaller load than usual because of his wounded left arm. It crossed his mind that perhaps his brother Elijah might take an interest in the girl.

Knowing that Celesta was likely a budding witch, Finn told his mother about the situation.

"I see. That girl could be a problem," Esther said, nodding. "I'll speak with her mother about it. You don't need someone like Celesta causing trouble with spells."

 _A/N Could the girl cast any spells? At sixteen, she likely can. Will her mother be able to convince her to leave Finn and Rika alone?_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Finn noticed when Esther later spoke outdoors to Bennett's Wife. He wondered if the girl's mother would take offense on behalf of her daughter or if she would warn the girl to leave Finn and Rika alone. Afterward, Esther talked to her son.

"Ayanna will talk to Celesta. She will say she saw the girl talking to you. She will especially tell the girl not to use any spells that might interfere with your courting Rika."

"That's a relief." Finn had no idea what level of spell-casting Celesta had achieved. Some girls her age were barely getting started, according to Esther.

"That does not mean that Celesta will not use her normal feminine wiles to split up you and Rika."

"Feminine wiles? What can she do?" Finn wondered.

"I don't believe she will back off from this. So, watch your step, son."

Finn found this all very annoying. His arm hurt, his father didn't want him to marry Rika, and now Celesta was interfering. What more could go wrong?

Since his arm was wounded, he was not in the mood to practice sword fighting with his two younger brothers. At one point he wandered out to the meadow where the younger boys were guarding the stock. Kol was chasing another boy in play, but when he saw Finn, he stopped and walked to where the young man stood.

"No bears today, Finn," he announced.

"You weren't really watching, were you?"

"Yes, I was! Sorta," Kol admitted. "Niklaus is watching. He's good at it."

Finn noticed that the eleven-year-old was chatting with a boy his age, and really, neither of them were looking around.

"It's a good thing the sheep and cattle are calm," he commented to the boy.

"I guess they forgot about the bear. I sometimes wonder how all these animals could come over the sea in the boats. They must be awfully huge. The boats, I mean."

"They seemed huge to me because I was as little as Rebekah is, but they are not as huge as you might think. All these cows and sheep didn't come on the boats, only some of them. Since the time we arrived, the number of animals has tripled."

"What does that mean?"

"It means the bulls and the rams have been busy mating with the cows and sheep to make calves and lambs. And we have many pigs and chickens."

"Are you and Rika going to do that when you get married?" Kol asked in all innocence.

"What?"

"Are you going to climb on her and make a baby?"

Taken aback by the boy's question, Finn managed to say, "I guess I will,"

"That's weird. Will she let you? I mean, it seems like the cows or ewes or hens run away sometimes like they don't want to make a baby."

Finn wasn't sure how to answer these questions. Where was a bear when you needed one? "Kol, a man and a woman are supposed to both agree to make a baby. They get married so they can start a family with many children." He thought he shouldn't mention that having sex was supposed to be fun, babies or not. That's what his father Mikael had told him. So had a couple of boys a bit older than Finn, but unless there was marriage, babies were not the goal.

"How will I know who I have to marry? I think girls act funny and are sort of weird," Kol said. He had been upset when Rebekah was born and he had seen that she was missing a part. His mother had told him that the baby was a normal girl, and he had accepted that. Now Rebekah seemed giggly and a nuisance.

"I guess they are," Finn said, and he had to laugh at Kol's expression. "But I love Rika's weirdness. Look over there. Those two lambs are heading for the woods. Go get them."

Kol, carrying his spear as usual, ran off to stop the two gambling lambs from straying. So did another boy who was being diligent and saw them.

Walking back to the house, Finn met Rika. They gave each other a hug and a kiss, but nothing too passionate. There were many people out and about who could see them.

"Kol asked me if I was going to climb on you to make a baby," Finn said with a broad grin.

"He did? What did you say?" she asked in a teasing tone.

"I said I planned on it." He gave her another quick kiss.

"My father said he will get some men to build us a small hut. Very soon. He wants me to marry you before your father gets back."

"Everyone wants us to marry before my father gets back," Finn said, shaking his head. Sometimes he felt unsure of disobeying his father. On the other hand, Finn felt he was a man now and had a right to make his own decisions.

"I don't really want people watching while you 'climb on top of me,'" she giggled.

"I certainly don't plan to do it like a bull or a ram," Finn chuckled.

"I should hope not. We'll do it the man and woman way. I expect you to be gentle with me."

"I will be gentle," he promised, but in truth he wasn't sure he could be gentle. He had been told it was very uncomfortable the first time for a woman, gentle or not.

They had time to go for a walk in the woods south of the village. The weather was nice, neither hot nor cold. They talked as they followed the contour of the terrain, which sloped downhill a bit and then upward. All around them the land either rose or fell away because they were in the foothills of the forested mountains to the west. Coming to a clearing, they stood and looked at the bluish uplands.

"Have you ever wanted to climb those mountains? They seem so high compared to these hills," Rika said.

"I never thought about it. The older people here say those are just high hills compared to the mountains of the homeland," Finn said. He had been too young when the settlers' ships had sailed away to recall the Scandinavian peaks. All he remembered was the coast near the village and the forest.

After a short while, they began walking back toward the village. They skirted around a rocky spot which led to a cave. It was known that there was a short system of underground passages in the area. The temperature inside was quite cool and some foods were stored there. After they walked by the entrance, the ground under Rika gave way, and with a surprised cry, she fell down into the hole.

Fearful that she was injured, Finn knelt at the edge of the hole and looked into the darkness. "Are you hurt, Rika? Please answer me."

"I think I'm alright, except my ankle hurts a little. I might have twisted it when I landed down here," the girl said in a shaky voice.

Finn's eyes adjusted to the dim light below and he could see Rika's blond hair and pale face. She was about fifteen feet below him, too far for him to reach her with his good arm.

Rika's eyes also adjusted to the reduced light and she looked around. She knew it was a side passage of the cave because there were some baskets of fruit resting there. In fact, some dirt and rocks from the new opening above were covering one of the baskets. Beyond where she sat on a pile of dirt, there was just darkness. Torches were normally used to light the tunnels when a person went there on purpose.

"It's very dark down here, Finn. I don't think I can find my way out to the cave opening."

"Stay where you are. I'm going to get help," Finn said. He stood and hurried toward the village center and went to Rika's home first. The brothers Anders and Jan were sitting outside their long house.

"There's a cave-in by the cave entrance and Rika fell in! We either need a ladder to put down the hole or torches to find her in the cave," Finn explained.

"Is she hurt?" Jan asked, alarmed for his daughter.

"Maybe her ankle. She may have twisted it."

"Let's hope it's not broken," Anders said. He and his brother were already lame.

"Take our tall ladder, Finn," Jan said. "Anders, go with him. I see Erik over there. Get him, too."

In a short time, Finn, Anders, Erik and a couple of other men were by the hole. After speaking to Rika and assured that she was still sitting there, the men prepared to lower the ladder.

"Can you move over to one side?" Finn asked the girl.

"Yes. Give me a moment."

"Look at the thickness of the earth here," Anders said, studying the edge of the hole. "I don't understand why it would cave in at this point."

"That is very strange," Erik agreed. "People have walked through here many times."

Finn shook his head in disbelief that the ground would give way under Rika. Looking around, he noticed that several women had come to watch the rescue. One of them was Celesta. Surely she had had nothing to do with this! Or had she?

 _A/N Did Celesta cast a spell or was the accident just a natural happening? Thanks for reading, guys. I really appreciate it. And thank you for those who are reading and following some of my other stories._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Finn and the others watched as Erik, Anders and another man lowered the heavy wooden ladder into the hole. They settled it into the dirt at the bottom and then Anders insisted that he go down first. The leg he had injured many years ago was stable and he climbed down quickly. Finn followed him. Down in the cave they examined Rika's ankle and agreed that it was not broken. With help she was able to stand on one leg and with help she climbed up the ladder until the man Erik grasped her arms and brought her up to solid ground.

The hole in the ground showed no sign of collapsing further, which was odd. The two men climbed out and the ladder was retrieved. It was Finn who then lifted Rika into his arms and carried her. This hurt his injured arm, but he didn't care. However, when he came to her home and set her down on a bench, he found his wound bleeding and some of his blood was on her dress and apron. He apologized for that.

"Don't worry about it, Finn," her mother said. "What is important is that she is alright." The older woman had been at the rescue scene and was relieved that her daughter was not badly injured. "Go on to your house and let your mother re-bandage that arm."

Rika spoke up, "Mother's right, Finn. Go get your arm taken care of."

Somewhat reluctant to leave her, he did go and walked across the clearing to his home. His mother was waiting, her basket of cloth handy. She would not throw away the bloody wrapping on his arm. The material was too precious; she would wash and dry it.

While Esther took care of the bloody arm, Finn told her what had happened.

"Do you think it's possible Celesta somehow caused the cave-in?" he asked his mother.

"From what you have told me, I would say no. I don't believe she has strong magic yet. And how would she know where to make the hole? Or that you would be walking right there?"

"I don't see how she could have done it either," Finn said, wincing as his mother worked on his arm.

"This wound is getting redder," Esther said. "I think I will make a poultice or something to draw out any poison."

For the first time Finn considered that the wound might fester so badly that it would poison his whole arm. He could lose the arm! It was even possible he could lose his life! What if he died before he even had a chance to marry Rika? Who in the village would she end up marrying? Or maybe she would grieve for him the rest of her life and never marry. Then he considered that he was being melodramatic. He wasn't going to die. His mother wouldn't allow it.

While Esther prepared something to draw out the infection, Finn left the table and headed for Rika's house. She met him half-way, hobbling along using her father's crutches.

"I was coming to see how you were," she said. "Your arm was bleeding again." She looked at the raw, unbandaged wound. "Oh Finn, it looks angry!"

"It is. Mother is preparing something to put on it to draw out the poison. How is your ankle?"

"It aches. My father says I should keep it propped up, but I wanted to check on you."

"I'll be alright. But your father knows best for the ankle since he has a similar injury. Go on back home and sit down. I'll come over after Mother gets done with me." He leaned close and gave her a kiss. She still had some dirt on her face, but he could tell she or her mother had tried to wash it off. With a sigh, she turned and hobbled off.

He did go see her again before he retired for the night. He did not feel well and had a fever. After a short visit, he said he would see her in the morning. Then he returned to face his mother.

"If this does not look better in the morning," Esther said with concern, "I'm going to do a healing spell."

"Alright, but I hope you don't have to. It makes me think I'm in danger of losing my arm." Finn felt a wave of fear pass through his body and again considered he could, in fact, lose his life.

"I won't let that happen. I did my best to clean the wound, but the poison was already deep."

"It's not your fault, Mother. The bear's claws were very dirty."

Despite the late hour, Niklaus was still awake. He looked at the nasty wound in the light of the central fire. "The bear might have killed me. I'm sorry you got that wound saving me."

"We were all trying to kill it, Niklaus. You, too. You were brave to get so close."

"I was scared," the eleven-year-old admitted.

His mother reached out and stroked his light hair. "Go to bed now, son," she said to him.

Finn finally lay down on his own bed, lying on his right side and laying his left arm on his upper side. His mother had put something on the wound so that it didn't hurt as much, and he was able to fall asleep after a while.

He had odd dreams. In one of them Rika came to him, saying she was worried about his arm. She touched his hair and kissed his cheek. Then she climbed into his bed and snuggled against him. He would have hugged her close, but his left arm had started to hurt and he dared not move it. Then she turned into Celesta and he pushed her away. She left his bed and disappeared into mist.

Then the dream shifted to the bear. It was chained to a tree, but trying to claw anyone who came near. Then the thin tree broke and the bear sprang away, heading into deep woods dragging the tree with it. Niklaus was chasing it with a small spear. The dream shifted again, going from one subject to another. As with many dreams, it seemed logical, but really was not.

Esther woke in the dark of night to check on her ill son. She lit a small torch to observe him. He was making moaning sounds and she could tell he was hot with fever. He was only wearing one layer of clothing and she could feel his heat. The thin wool sheet he had had over him was lying on the floor. She picked it up and laid it across his legs.

Worried that the medication she had put on the wound was not doing its job, she decided to make a different mixture of herbs and cast a small spell on it to increase its potency. She did this outside the door at the table. The torch gave her light. She was surprised when Bennett's Wife joined her.

"His arm is worse?" the woman asked.

"I'm not sure, but he is hot with fever, so I must do something more."

The two women quietly talked about the situation and in the end Esther had a new batch of medicine to put on the wound and also a special tea for him to drink. She entered the house and woke him. He was groggy from illness, but he drank the tea, and he held still while his mother applied the herbal poultice.

"How do you feel?" the woman asked, laying a hand against his forehead. It was hot.

"Not good. I guess I'll live," Finn muttered. "I had some crazy dreams."

"The fever does that. Try to sleep some more now." She watched him for a few minutes until he seemed to be sleeping, then she returned to her own bed. She slept for a short while and then got up again to check on Finn. Carrying the small torch, she came to his bed. She laid a hand on his forehead, which was cool and damp with sweat. Seeing that he was shivering, she laid a wool blanket over him and he came awake.

"The fever has broken. That's a good sign," she told him.

"I'm so cold now," he murmured.

"I added the blanket, so you should warm up soon."

"Mother, did Celesta come speak to me? I dreamed she lay on my bed with me."

"I don't think so, but I was asleep for a short while. She could have snuck over here," Esther said in a quiet voice.

"I suppose it was just the dream. I'm sorry to ruin your night's sleep."

"That's what mothers are for, my son. Let me warm up some more of that tea for you."

"I can drink it cold. You don't have to warm it up," Finn said, wanting his mother to get some more sleep before dawn. He had no idea what time of night it was because he couldn't see the moon. When Esther brought a cup of cold medicinal tea, he propped himself up on one elbow and drank it down, ignoring its bitter taste. He assumed it would help him in some way. With his mother sitting on the edge of his bed, as she had often done when he was much younger, he drifted off to sleep, still wondering if Celesta had come to his bed.

 _A/N Did Celesta visit him from her end of the longhouse or was it just a dream? Is the new herbal poultice going to work? Thanks for reading, guys._


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Roosters' crowing announced the coming of dawn and encouraged the settlers to arise and start their day's work. Esther went to milk the family cow, and she chatted with Celesta who was milking the Bennett's cow in the far end of the longhouse. Both cows stood still and munched the handful of hay given to each animal in the enclosure. In a while, the boys would take the cows and sheep to the meadow.

"How is Finn this morning?" Celesta asked.

"He's much improved. At least his fever is gone. The wound could be better."

"Oh, that's good. I mean about the fever. I hope he is feeling better."

"So do I," Esther said as she rhythmically squirted milk into her pail. She wondered if Finn's dream had been real and the girl had gone to his bed during the night. She didn't ask, since Celesta could just deny it.

When Esther returned to her part of the house, she found her children up and about. Niklaus had brought in more wood for the fire and Kol was helping Rebekah dress properly. Somehow, the small child put something on wrong frequently.

"Did she use the pot?" the mother asked her youngest son.

"Yes," Kol said. Both he and Niklaus often kept an eye on their little sister.

Finn sat on his bed. He was awake, but a little dizzy. He suspected that was from the herbal tea his mother had made. When Niklaus asked if he needed help putting on his trousers, Finn was tempted to say no, he could do it himself. However, his left hand was stiff and swollen, so he let his brother help him.

"Do you need help to go out back?"

"I'm really dizzy, Niklaus. Bring me the pot." The chamber pot was kept handy for anyone who needed it, especially on rainy days. There was a privy out back of the house, but the men and boys tended to empty their bladders behind adjacent bushes. Finn was concerned that a trip outside would land him on the ground as had happened the evening before. While Niklaus stood by to take the pot to empty it, Finn emptied his bladder. That was a relief.

Still, he did not get up from his bed. As the room seemed to swirl, he lay down on his back and stared at the rafters of the roof. The dizziness faded and he turned onto his right side and propped his left arm on his hip. It was a comfortable position. Something caught his eye and he reached for it with his right hand. It was a hair lying near his pillow. It was not his. It was not his mother's. In fact, by the reddish color of it, he guessed that it was from Celesta's head. So, she really had come to him and had lain down beside him! He tried to remember if anything more inappropriate had happened. He thought not. The pain in his arm would have awakened him.

When his mother brought him a bowl of porridge, he sat up and leaned back against the wall beside his bed. He told her about the hair. "Don't say anything about it, Mother."

"She didn't make you _do_ anything, did she?" annoyed with the sneaky girl.

"No. I wasn't up to doing anything like _that_ , literally." He gave his mother a small smile as she lay the bowl on his lap. He could feed himself with his good hand. There were pieces of meat in the porridge and he liked that. He was hungry, but he ate slowly. More dizziness could cause nausea, and he didn't want to lose his breakfast.

Once Esther had her children fed, she took the time to examine the wound and she was pleased to find it looking less angry. Still, there was some swelling in his hand.

"I think you are on the mend, Finn. Keep your hand up so the swelling can go down. I'll make a sling for your arm."

"If Rika and I go ahead with a wedding, we will look odd. One of us on crutches and one with an arm sling." Finn had to chuckle about this.

It was not long before the young lady in question came hobbling to the house to see how her betrothed was feeling. She now had new crutches made to fit her small stature. She carefully sat on his bed beside him and he put his good arm around her. She gave him a hug, too.

"I was worried about you," she admitted.

"My arm is better. And I feel better with you beside me." He gave her a kiss on the lips, which she returned.

"Kissy. Kissy," teased Kol.

Then little Rebekah came over to the lovers, tripped over Rika's crutches and fell on her bad ankle. The young woman gave a cry of surprise and pain.

"Rebekah!" Esther admonished. "Watch what you're doing. Rika has a hurt foot. You come on over here with me." She glowered as the child looked guilty and left her brother. "Kol, it's time you took the stock out to the meadow."

"What about Niklaus? Isn't he coming too?"

"He has to bring more wood for the fire. Then he'll join you. And don't forget your spear."

Finn noticed that Niklaus had a smirk on his face. The boy didn't like to be stuck in the meadow most of the day and didn't mind doing chores for his mother, especially since Mikael was not around to berate him for anything.

When Esther went outside with two of her children, Finn turned to Rika. "I want you to be careful around Celesta."

"Why?"

"She seems to be jealous that you and I are planning to marry."

"Well, that's too bad, isn't it? I love you and you love me, so what can she do?"

"I don't know, but remember she has some ability to cast spells." He refrained from mentioning the hole Rika had fallen into. He had no proof Celesta had had anything to do with that.

"Could she really cast some spell to ruin things for us?"

"I just don't know. Try to avoid her if you can."

"She and I have been working together to tan that bear hide. She's been nice to me. You think that is just an act?"

"Maybe. We'll see."

Their day went forward without further mishaps. Finn's arm improved and he felt much better in general. If Celesta did anything to trip up the couple's plans, no one noticed. The next day was interesting because four native men came into the village carrying generous meat from a woods bison they had killed. The settlers could always use meat. In exchange, the natives wanted the claws from the killed bear. The pelt was considered to be Finn's and he agreed to make the trade, as long as he could keep one claw as proof that it was the cause of one of the deep scars that would form on his arm.

After the trade, the natives made a hasty retreat from the area. They were aware that the moon would be full that night and the wolf-men would be out in the forest. Among the villagers who would turn, there was a reminder. At least twelve hours before the moon rose, those affected felt vague tingling in the palms of their hands and the soles of their feet. In addition, other parts of their skin had a slight tingle.

As the sun was about to set and the moon ready to rise full and bright, a group of men and one woman headed out toward the forest to the west of the meadow. They removed their clothes and left them in neat piles. The moon peaked over the ridges to the east and the transformations started. For those who were long-time wolves, the change was quick and only briefly painful. For those who were relatively new to this, the change took longer and was agonizing. Before long, a pack of large wolves was racing through the forest, chasing game or each other. They killed and ate some small game, such as rabbits, but otherwise, they simply reveled in the joy of feeling powerful and free. They howled at the moon.

A few of the men, like Jan and Anders, were free of their infirmities and were able to run painlessly. Two old men momentarily had no arthritis. It was exhilarating.

The people remaining in the village did not stray out into the woods and they kept their animals close. The werewolves were not entirely humanly intelligent. They could not be trusted if they were in a hunting mood, although they recognized their human family members.

Rika spent the evening at her own home. Her mother always worried about her own sister, Rika's Aunt Greta, who was the only female werewolf out there in the forest. The only serious threat to any of them was from the natives, but native arrows would not kill them. A skull-smashing blow from a war club or hatchet could possibly be deadly. Animals such as bears and cougars could cause possible dismemberment or death. As the years had passed, only one werewolf had been killed, but Rika's mother worried.

Finn stayed with his own family. They were safe in their home, as were their animals. He knew Rika was safe at home. Oddly, it was young Niklaus who seemed worried about the wolves, whose howls were carried on the wind.

"Don't be afraid, my boy," Esther said soothingly. "Mother will protect you."

Finn wondered if she meant something she did not say. How would she protect her hybrid child specifically? Could she somehow prevent him from turning, even when he matured and killed someone? Finn suspected she would find a way. He wanted to ask her about it, but he was actually afraid to ask. In some strange way, he was wary of the witch who was his mother.

 _A/N You would think his mother would have used magic to heal his arm, but she limited that use to a strong poultice to draw out infection. Will the battle-scarred and lame couple manage to marry? We shall see._


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

By dawn the next morning, all the wolves had returned to human form, dressed and then returned to their homes. Although the nights before and after the full moon seemed just as bright, they did not cause the transformation.

Rika came to see Finn as soon as she could. "My father says last night helped heal his ankle. It's much improved."

"That's good. How does you ankle feel?" He had his arms around her and held her close, but he was careful not to knock away her crutches or to brush his wound against her clothing. There was no bandage on it and there was a little seepage. His mother wanted the wound to seal in the air.

"About the same, I guess. Twisted ankles take a long time to heal."

"I could ask my mother to cast a healing spell," he joked, knowing that Esther was unlikely to do so.

Rika knew it too. Her own mother had confided that Esther had reduced powers since losing one of her pregnancies. That had happened in the space between Niklaus and Kol. Finn was also aware of this, having heard his mother mention it to Bennett's Wife. The latter had told her that her ability would increase over time. Finn had no idea what level of magic his mother could conjure now, but he thought that she was unable to heal his wound faster.

"She would just say that time will heal my ankle and that I have to be patient," the girl said and she planted a kiss on his lips. "She's a Viking woman and would expect your wife to bear the discomfort."

"Mother wasn't born a Viking. I mean she was captured by my father on a raid further south of our homeland."

"Oh. I didn't know that. She is a strong and brave woman and seems to love your father."

"She is all that, so it is as if she had been born to the Norse life. In my opinion, my father has considerable respect for her. When I was small, I remember her hefting one of the big swords when some of the natives made threats to the settlement. She is no less a Viking woman that others."

"I see. I can hardly lift my father's sword."

"You probably could if someone was threatening you or your children. I wonder how many we will have."

"I don't know. But I do know that it will be _I,_ not _we_ , who will have them," Rika said with a chuckle.

"Of course. You know what I mean. I intend to do my part."

"I'm sure you will."

They both laughed and Rika almost fell over when she dropped one of the crutches. Finn kept her from falling with his strong arms around her.

That day he and several men made a small and temporary hut for the couple who were to marry soon. His efforts were limited when the men insisted that he not accidentally scrape open his wound. Since this was to provide privacy on their wedding night and when they slept, the interior was to have little in the way of furnishings. There would be the bedding laid on soft boughs from pine trees, a bison hide on the dirt floor, a couple of tree stumps as seats and a small table. They would have a candle for lighting. There was no place for a fire inside, so meals and heating if needed would be in the homes of the couple's families. As long as Mikael was gone, Rika was welcome in Esther's house and could even sleep with Finn on his regular bed if the young couple chose.

A week of busy preparations followed. Weddings in the settlement were limited by the number of people and the supplies that they had, but there seemed to be all that was needed. Rika had a new dress made of fine wool and she looked very lovely for the ceremony. Finn too was dressed in his best clothing.

Everything seemed to go as planned and Finn could not tell if Celesta had tried to do anything to interfere. He hoped she had given up any idea of winning him over or of hurting Rika. Both he and the bride were nervous as the ceremony proceeded, done by the old man who knew the Norse ways. Because of their location far from normal Scandinavian supplies and relatives and the sea, there was much that was left out of the traditional preparation and ceremony. For Finn and Rika, the important thing was that they were officially husband and wife.

When it was time for them to retire to their hut, they were both nervous, although Finn tried not to show it. He was the man, the husband, the bold warrior. He was in charge and he was supposed to be experienced in the matter of sex. Unfortunately, he was not. It would have been alright if he and Rika had had premarital sex, but they had chosen not to do so. Therefore, he approached the hut hoping he could perform properly.

Rika's mother had already helped her out of her wedding dress, so that she now wore just a light gown. Finn didn't go in until the older woman came out. Once inside the dim hut he grinned at his bride. Behind him, words of encouragement and joking came from the crowd.

"Well, here we are, wife," he said, suddenly feeling shy. He made sure the hide door cover was closed. He would not have been surprised to find Kol peeking in.

"Yes, here we are," Rika said, also shyly. "Finally, you are my husband." Leaning on one crutch, she helped him remove his layers of clothing until he was dressed only in short trousers. He had nothing on underneath. Rika let her gown slide to the floor.

"You are so beautiful," Finn said, staring at her nakedness in the candle light. He was getting quite aroused and he thought he should take his pants off. Almost hesitantly he let the last of his clothing fall. Not surprisingly, he saw Rika's eyes observe his private parts.

"I think this is going to hurt," his wife concluded after seeing him in his aroused state.

"So they say, but I'll try to hurt you as little as possible." He really didn't want to hurt her at all, but this was a rite of passage and had to be done. And since she was a virgin, he was pleased that he would be the one to do it. No other male had been there before him.

He had received plenty of advice, some good and some bad, on how to treat his wife, and she had been instructed by her mother and her aunt. Despite some awkwardness, they did the deed successfully.

"Are you alright?" he asked, still lying on top of her.

"A little sore, but yes, I'm fine. We did it! That part is over. It will be better from now on."

Finn grinned at her and gave her a kiss. He knew he was looking forward to plenty more of that kind of entertainment and pleasure. Realizing that he had much of his weight on her, he rolled onto his side. Then he realized that the left side was not the best choice. His wounded arm ached, which he had not noticed during the excitement of intercourse. He rolled onto his back.

Then he asked the age-old question, "Was it good for you?"

"Well…"

"Not so much, huh? It hurt you, so it was not good. I hope it will be better next time."

"Which will be when? I would like to wait a while."

"Tonight? Tomorrow? What is a while?" he asked. Did he only get the one shot?

"They say a woman can reach a feel-good level. I didn't get there." She scowled as she stared at the rough beams over their heads.

Finn knew he had reached a good release, but he didn't say so. He tried to recall what it was that allowed a woman to reach the same peak of pleasure. So many men had given him advice that he had no idea what was real or the best. He wondered if he should ask his mother. Did his father know how to really please her? Did he care? Did she care?

What he did discover was that kissing and caressing began to make her excited. He kept at it until she urged him to try intercourse again. This time she was much more satisfied with the result and he could see when that happened. Success!

Then there was a loud cracking sound and part of the hut's roof fell down. It knocked the candle to the floor, but the flame did not go out. In moments, Finn and Rika realized that their damaged hut was on fire.

A/N Was this an act of nature or did Celesta do something?


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Rika screamed in alarm as things caught fire. Finn jumped up from their bed and he lifted her to her feet. They needed to escape from the hut immediately.

"The door is blocked!" She grabbed up her thin shift and hugged it to her. Pain shot up from her ankle and she cried out again. She couldn't find the wooden crutch.

"I need to break a hole in the wall here!" Finn said, slamming his body against the wood. The wall was flimsy and partly gave way as he hit it.

From outside came voices, mostly of men, but some from frightened women. Someone right outside where Finn stood told him to hit the wall again. He did and it gave way more. Men outside pulled open a gap big enough for escape. Finn turned to his bride and put an arm around her, balancing her and lifting her through the hole. Someone on the other side reached for her. It was her uncle Anders.

Finn had time to reach down and grab one of the bed covers as he realized that he was about to step outside naked. He held it in front of his body as he stepped into the hole in the wall. His mother was there and she helped him get free. They moved away from the fire.

"What happened?" he asked, shaken and confused.

"A branch fell from the tree onto the roof," Anders said.

Finn looked up and saw in the light of the fire that a moderate-sized branch was on the damaged roof and the leaves were curling in the heat. He could feel his heart pounding as he looked at Rika. Her mother had come with some piece of clothing which she slid over the girl's head and down her body. Rika was decently attired and standing on one leg while keeping the injured one up off the ground. She held onto her mother for balance.

As Finn and his mother moved farther beyond the heat of the fire, he kept the bedding close in front of himself. He should not have been embarrassed by his nakedness, but he was. He leaned close to his mother and whispered. "Do you think Celesta had a hand in this? Why would a living branch break loose?"

"I wonder the same thing. If she did, I doubt she anticipated starting a fire. At least I hope she did not intend to burn you and Rika."

Finn noticed that both of his younger brothers had come from the big house. They came close and Niklaus asked, "Are you hurt?"

"No. I'm alright. But it was alarming to be stuck in the hut. The door was blocked by the fallen roof," he explained. "Our candle started the fire."

"Oh. I'm glad you and Rika aren't hurt."

"Me too, Niklaus. Run and get my other pair of pants. Hurry." Finn still had the bedding against his front, but his backside could feel both the heat of the fire and a cool breeze. He moved over to where Rika stood against her mother. "Are you alright, my love?"

"Yes, but I'm shaking. This is a little more than I expected on my wedding night," she said with a tentative smile. She had not lost her sense of humor.

"It is a _lot_ more than I was expecting," Finn agreed as he watched the fire destroy the little hut. No one tried to put out the flames. There was no reason to do so. Finn was glad he had not worn his good sword into the hut. He had seen no need for it while bedding his bride.

Now that the danger was over, a few jokes were made by some who where drunk from the festivities. Finn was accused of making some really hot love to his bride and setting the place of fire. One man complimented him on his prowess and said the gods looked upon him, but in confusing ways.

Finn suspected the real problem was Celesta, who was nowhere in sight. He looked around and saw no sign of her, while just about everyone else in the village was gathered about. When Niklaus returned with a pair of trousers, Finn managed to put them on without exposing himself to people. Unlike some men, he was too modest to bare himself to all.

He expected young Kol to make some silly comment, but the boy was too enthralled by the fire as the walls collapsed into a heap, sending up a shower of sparks. Care was taken that the fire did not spread.

"Did you lose anything important in the fire?" someone asked Finn.

"Some nice clothes. The silver should survive and I can find it."

"I'm glad Mother has my wedding dress," Rika said. It was made of silk and there was no other silk in the village. "Finn, I want to go to my house and get more clothes to wear."

"Alright. I'll come for you shortly," her new husband said. It had already been decided that the couple would be using Mikael's house. With no children yet, they could both use Finn's bed. It offered little privacy, except under the bed covers. While Esther and Niklaus might choose to look away from the bed activities, Rebekah was likely to want to know what was going on and Kol would want to know how.

By this time night had fallen and the remains of the hut was a pile of burning embers. Since the fire was not spreading, it was left to die out on its own. Only the loss of Finn's nice clothing was of concern.

The wedding celebration continued because there was food to enjoy and drink to be had. There was limited music to enjoy, but everyone took part in the singing. Finn and Rika, deprived of their private bed activities, joined in with the festivities. Even Celesta returned from wherever she had been. She stayed away from the newlyweds.

Later, when Rika came to Finn's bed, she whispered, "This seems so strange."

"I know. We'll get used to it. Kol, get back in bed!"

The young boy, standing now beside his brother's bed, didn't move. "Is Rika going to sleep here now?"

"Yes, she is. She's my wife now, so we sleep together," Finn said, trying to be patient.

"Like Mother and Father?"

"Yes. Now get back in bed. Go on. Just because Father isn't here doesn't mean you can be disobedient."

"You aren't my boss," Kol pouted.

"Yes, I am. Father left me in charge."

Esther, who had been outside, came inside, saw Kol, and walked over to him. "Back into bed or you'll be sorry, young man."

Knowing his mother could cast spells, the boy decided not to try her patience. He returned to the bed he shared with his sister, who was sound asleep. She sucked her thumb and sometimes kicked him in her sleep, but he was used to it. He was glad she had passed the time of wetting the bed. On chilly nights it was good they could sleep against each other and they never woke during the night and felt fearfully alone.

Hours later, in the dim light of dawn, the new couple quietly kiss and touched each other. "I love you," Finn whispered in her ear.

"I love you too." She grinned at him. They had managed to make love one time during the middle of the night, but it had been a strain to keep quiet. Their bed along the wall was between Esther's and Niklaus', each of whom had a bed to themselves with Mikael and Elijah away. Getting out of bed, Rika had a nightgown on, but Finn had to pull on trousers. His wounded arm was much improved, but he had to hand his bride her new crutches.

Rika didn't know what Esther expected of her when it came to cooking and chores. The older woman told her to help Rebekah dress, which freed Kol to get into mischief. He took food to the dog Thor that was tied with a rope near the door. The dog kept guard during the night and was always happy to see his people in the morning. On really cold nights, he was allowed to sleep inside.

Finn and Esther were not the only ones to go to the burned down hut and look at the charred remains. Several people looked it over. Finn dug through some of it until he found two broaches that had been on his clothes. He had not taken his big sword inside, although he had worn it during the ceremony.

Esther was more interested in the broken tree branch. To Finn she pointed out that the limb was not rotted or dead. The remaining part looked quite healthy. Rika's uncle Anders was also there.

"That branch should not have broken," the man observed. "Why do you think that happened?"

"I can think of a possibility," Esther muttered.

"Oh?" he asked.

"Someone who didn't want my son to marry Rika."

"Like who?"

"I'd rather not say. I have no proof."

"Not Mikael. It had to be someone who is here and with magical powers, didn't it?"

"Likely."

"That narrows it down. You and the Bennett family are the ones with such powers," Anders said with a scowl.

"Anders, don't say anything. Let it go. I think I might find a way to annoy a certain person in small ways. Alright?"

"If you say so, Esther. But I don't like this. Finn and Rika could have suffered serious burns."

"I know. It is lucky the wall of the hut was easy to break. I must think of some sort of retribution." _She will pay_ , Esther thought grimly.

 _A/N Will Esther aim magic at Celesta even though she is not sure the girl is to blame? If the girl is guilty, will she try something else? Thanks to all of you who are reading my other stories. Thanks for the comment on A Few Broken Bones._


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Both Finn's family and Rika's had established daily routines and now both had to deal with a change. Rika was no longer in her family's house and doing the chores she had done. Her mother and sister were prepared to pick up the slack, so to speak. Esther, on the other hand, had an additional person in her house, and Rika needed to be fitted into the routine. The younger woman was used to being busy and was eager to fit in, which Esther welcomed, although another person in the "kitchen" could cause some confusion. In addition, Rika was using crutches and had to be careful not to trip anyone. Luckily, much was done outside.

Niklaus, Kol and Rebekah found it fun to have the new person with them. They liked her and made her feel welcome. They also told her stories about their home. Some of this she knew and some she did not. She patiently listened and joked with them. The boy she knew least was Niklaus, who tended to be quiet, but observant. Like most in the village, she knew Mikael was often harsh with this boy.

It was also interesting for her to know she was living under the same roof as Celesta, the person suspected of trying to hurt her. Due to the fact that Celesta could do magic, it was not an even contest and Rika was wary. Although she knew Finn's father didn't want werewolf traits in his family, she was secretly wary of the fact that his family contained a witch. Was that a trait that was handed down? Was little Rebekah a future witch? Would any girl children of Finn's be potential witches? She just didn't know and she didn't ask Esther.

Finn had chores of his own and he was not surprised when his new wife excused herself to go to her parent's home to see if her father needed any help. In truth, Jan had enough help from the rest of his family, but Rika was a dutiful daughter. Her sister was the one who took over some of her chores and didn't complain about it.

Coming back from their house, one of Rika's wooden crutches snapped and she fell to the ground. Finn happened to be close and to see this and he hurried to her and helped her up. While she leaned on him, he studied the break in the wood. There was a possible weak spot, so he could not automatically blame Celesta. Looking around, he did see her, but she was busy some distance away.

"Are you alright?" he asked Rika, who was looking at the broken piece of wood.

"I'm fine. I just seem to be having a run of bad luck. Except for marrying the man I love," she said. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, but he held her closer and planted a proper and long-lasting kiss on her lips.

"I have to go with the wood crew today," he said when he came up for air.

"I know. Be careful out there, my husband."

He helped her to his own house and then took the broken crutch to her uncle, who said he would carve a new one. The village used a lot of wood for cooking and some for heating, so from time to time a group would go into the forest to chop down trees. Little by little over the years, the forest had moved farther from the village, although there were young trees replacing the ones chopped down. The men had axes and saws to work with. These were prized tools and cared-for, since there was no new source of iron and steel.

Nothing else happened for several days and Finn was hopeful that Celesta had come to accept the marriage and would not interfere in any way. He was very happy to be married to this wonderful young lady Rika. His heart sometimes felt it would burst with his emotions. He thought he could feel joy just watching her go about her business, or upon hearing her laughter. And to hold her in his arms or to make love to her was a blessing from the gods. He wondered if they were making a child. How wonderful that would be!

At one point during the day, Rika went with one of her brothers, Ragnar, who was going fishing in the river. They hoped to bring fish for both families. When she spotted a family of raccoons along the opposite bank of the river, she laughed at the antics of the small ones. When they moved eastward, she followed on the south bank.

At least two hours passed before anyone realized that she was missing. When Ragnar returned to the village with a string of fish, he went to Esther's house to give her some. He also expected to find his sister there. She was not. When he went to his own home, she was not there either. A quick check showed that she was not visiting in any other house. In fact, no one had seen her for some time. Finn knew she had gone with Ragnar and he had not worried about her. Now, he was very worried.

"She stayed with me a while and then left. She was watching some raccoons, but I assumed she then came home," the brother explained.

He went to the meadow and talked to the boys watching the animals, but none of them had seen her. He even went to Celesta and confronted her as she sat with her mother sewing some clothing.

"Where is my wife?" he demanded.

"How should I know?" the girl said with a snort. "I don't keep track of her."

Bennett's Wife was not pleased with Finn's suggestion of wrong-doing. "Celesta has been right here with me," the woman said firmly. She knew people were looking for Rika.

"Can either of you sense her?" Finn asked somewhat desperately.

"I sense nothing wrong, Finn," the mother said. "Go ask your mother."

He sought Esther who told him she was about to try to contact Rika or somehow feel where she was. There was always the possibility that the girl had fallen again and had been knocked unconscious. Since she had been by the river, there was now fear that she had slipped and fallen into the water and had been swept over the falls and downstream.

Finn didn't wait for his mother to cast a spell. He joined men who were making their way down the river, looking for the girl, or at worst, her body. He took the dog with him, but Thor was good at guarding, not tracking with his nose.

Ragnar was with the large group that went searching down the river. He was the last to have spoken to his sister. He explained again and again that they had seen a family of raccoons heading east along the opposite bank, and Rika had decided to watch them by moving east along the close bank. She was reasonably agile with the crutches and could move around trees, rocks and bushes. The brother had not worried about her and had not watched to see just where she went, but he said again that he assumed she had gone home after a few minutes. He felt terribly guilty, although her disappearance was not his fault.

Finn knew she had not fallen into the cave again. Men had erected a low wall of stone around the opening and had laid wood over it. The cover could be removed and the ladder put down if anyone wanted to use the hole as an easy entrance.

There was also the possibility that a group of native people had come along on the north side of the river, had seen her and had captured her. When the Norse settlers had first come to establish the colony, there had been a few rough times with the natives. Both sides were accustomed to taking a few prisoners and making slaves of them. This did not work out well under these circumstances and the practice stopped. Still, it was possible that Rika had been taken.

Esther and Ayanna, Bennett's Wife, together prepared to see if they could sense the girl's presence somewhere and maybe even locate her. Quite a group of people gathered outside the long house to watch and listen in silence. Rika's family was there, of course, for they feared for her safety. The one person who refused to participate was Celesta, even though her sister Grace joined with her mother. Celesta stayed inside the house and looked after her younger siblings.

Finn's younger siblings were outside watching. They had not seen such a large gathering for spell-casting. They could see the worry and fear in people's eyes. Niklaus, Kol and Rebekah all loved Rika and they wondered where she had gone. Niklaus, especially, worried that something bad had befallen her.

The result of the witches' efforts was that Esther, Ayanna Bennett and Grace Bennett came to the conclusion that Rika was alive. She was fearful. Somewhere to the east of the settlement. She was not alone. The witches sensed that she was with a young man. Was he one of the natives? The only other possibility was that she was with someone from the settlement.

"Nels," Grace whispered.

"Why would you say that?" Surprised, Esther asked the young woman.

"He has feelings for Rika. Just as Celesta has feelings for Finn."

"How do you know that?" Ayanna asked her daughter in a hushed voice.

"His sister Dagna told me. Nels is too shy to ever tell Rika."

"It can't be Nels she is with. He went with the group to the ships," Esther said.

"He left with them, as did Jan. Jan came back because of his injury," Ayanna said. "Perhaps Nels changed his mind and turned back. He could have come upon Rika by the river. He would not have known she had married Finn already."

"I wish Finn would return. I want him to know that she is alive," Esther said.

The witches told the gathering this news, but they did not name Nels. However, one person had overheard the young man's name and soon everyone whispered that he might be involved in the situation. Nels' family did not believe he had anything to do with Rika, and besides, he was way over by the coast and the ships.

When Esther returned inside the house with the items used in the spell, Niklaus asked,

"Mother, is it true? Is that man Nels with Rika?"

"I don't know, son. I really don't."

 _A/N A new twist in the story. Just what has happened to Rika? Thanks for reading, guys!_


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

When Finn and the search party returned hours later, he reported that one of Rika's crutches had been found floating in the river and caught on some rocks.

"We kept searching further down river, but didn't find her," Finn told the people who gathered around the returning men. "We found tracks in the mud of the river bank, but they were not hers. Larger. A large man's. These were not the tracks of native moccasins, but rather those of a person likely from this village. Unless another ship from Europe has landed."

"Well, we know Rika is alive, son. Ayanna, Grace and I could sense that."

"I believe she is, too," Finn nodded. "But the tracks led into the forest and disappeared. Arne says he thinks the man picked Rika up and carried her. The shoe prints seemed deeper as they moved away from the river. We lost the light in the darkness of the trees. And the sun was low by then. The others decided that we come home. I wanted to spend the night out there and keep looking come dawn, but my own tracking skills aren't that good.

Finn was weary from the trek and from worry. He was relieved to know his wife was alive, but he feared for her safety in the hands of some other man. Esther made him eat some food since he had not eaten for most of the day. In the privacy of their home, she told him that Grace suggested the mystery man could be Nels, son of Arne.

"Nels? He went with the crew to the ships," Finn said, frowning.

"Yes, but Grace says he is in love with Rika. He's kept it a secret."

Finn envisioned the man in question. Nels was about twenty-six years old, tall and heavy with red hair and red beard. He was quiet, always willing to help others, but shy and easily embarrassed. His face could turn as red as his hair. Sometimes people teased him and called him "Red Bear."

"If he's the one, why did he leave the group working on the ships? He's a carpenter."

"Perhaps he didn't want to go to sea this time. He's already been there twice. He may have finished his work and headed home alone," Esther said. "Or he may have left for some other reason. He would not have known Rika was missing."

"If so, he ran into her by accident. If he loves her, he could see this as his chance to keep her for himself. Why did it have to be him, of all people?" Finn paced back and forth in anger. "He'll have to live in the forest or bring her home. If he has molested my wife, I'll kill him!"

"We don't know for certain it _is_ him, son. We may be jumping to a conclusion here."

"I suppose it could be any man. Even one of the skraelings. But if Nels was returning and he did come across Rika …"

"What if she was injured again?" Esther asked. "If he came upon her, he would likely want to help her."

"He carried her deeper into the forest! If he was from here, he would come here."

"And he might do that yet. By a different route. We must wait."

"Mother, I don't want to wait. I want to go out at first light and hunt for my wife." In frustration, Finn walked off, heading toward the meadow in the moonlight just to work off his anger and worry.

Niklaus, who was in bed by then, but not asleep, whispered to his mother. "Is Rika in danger from Nels? I mean, is he likely to hurt her?"

"If he loves her, why would he hurt her, dear?" the mother asked, brushing blond hair from in front of his eyes.

"You know what I mean. Will he force her? I know men do that. I know some say it is wrong and some just laugh about it. I don't want anyone to hurt Rika."

"I will pray that she stays safe. Come with me by the fire and we will pray."

Niklaus got out of bed and went with his mother to a spot by the house's central fire where low flames flickered. He knew his mother had been brought up with a different religion. She had taught all her children about it, although they tended to believe more in the Norse gods and goddesses. Still, he thought that if his mother's God had power to protect Rika, then it was wise to say the prayers.

It was some time before Finn returned to the house. He was tired, but although he lay in his bed, he didn't think he would be able to sleep. Therefore, he was surprised to wake up to hear his mother whispering to Kol and Rebekah to keep quiet and let Finn sleep.

"I'm awake, Mother." He sat up on the edge of the bed.

"You were able to sleep. Good. Get some breakfast. I'm sure you are ready to go out looking for Rika."

"I have no appetite," he muttered, standing up and stretching.

"You can't tromp through the forest on an empty stomach. Come eat," his mother ordered.

"I've been trying to decide if I should take my sword and shield. I think just the axe and knife would do."

"You can travel faster without the extra weight," Esther nodded. She knew the men were used to carrying the weight of the bigger weapons and shields, but she hoped he was not intent on killing whoever had Rika.

Rika's uncle Anders came to speak to them. "We'll be ready to go searching again in a few minutes. We'll find whoever has her today, Finn."

"Mother says it may be Nels Arneson," Finn said.

Anders was as surprised as anyone and he asked why Nels' name had come up. It was Esther who explained. "We truly do not know it is he who has her. Please keep in mind that he has saved her life."

In a short while the group left the village. Three men went down along the river again, even though it was unlikely that the rescuer would come that way now. The rest went into the rolling land to the east of the village, much of it forested. The river by the village was a small one which joined a larger one about twenty miles away, a waterway that would later be called the James River.

There were trails though the woods, old ones used by animals and by the indigenous people, and newer ones trod by the settlers when hunting or cutting wood. Except for the treks to the ships, the Norsemen didn't venture further than the bigger river. The searchers knew how far downriver they had gone looking for Rika. She could not walk far on crutches, but she could have been washed downriver if she had fallen in. Based on what they had found the day before, they now assumed she had floated quite a way before the man had found her and carried her away from the waterway.

"If it is Nels or one of the other men from the crew, he should be coming along this route," Anders said to Finn as they moved quickly along the trail. Despite his old limp, he could move with speed. However, the speed of the group was set by old Snort, a thin hound dog who had a limp too. Snort was a tracking dog and had been very good at it in his prime, years past. He was now ten years old.

"He should have come home last night, but he didn't," Finn growled, knowing his wife had spent the night with her rescuer, who hopefully had not abused her. As they moved along, they watched for fresh tracks on the trail.

"He may have made a camp if Rika needed to rest," Anders said. "She could have other injuries than her ankle."

"I know that," Finn muttered. "I hope he has some food he can share with her."

"If she can eat. I'm sure he has some supplies. Returning from the ships takes days," Anders reminded the younger man.

"Don't say 'if she can eat.' "

"She could be unconscious, Finn," Anders said calmly. He didn't say she could have been bashed about as she had been carried downstream by the water. He knew Finn was aware of that possibility.

At some point they smelled smoke and worked to pinpoint where is was coming from. They used caution because the fire could belong to native people. Old Snort, weary by then, perked up and headed to the left into the woods. One of the men caught him by the collar as they neared a small camp fire. The large red-headed man at the fire heard their approach and turned to face them, a short sword in his hand.

"Nels, we're from the village!" Anders called. "We have been hunting for Rika. Is she with you?"

"Yes. Come," the big man called, watching the others approach through the trees.

Full of relief, Finn hurried forward as he saw Nels lower his weapon. Then he saw the girl lying on the ground near the campfire. He hurried to kneel by her and to call her name. She didn't answer or respond at all. However, he could see she was breathing and he could hear it. Probably she had breathed in some river water. That was not good. In addition, there were scrapes and bruises on her face and some dried blood in her blonde hair.

"Rika? Can you hear me, love?" he called softly, gently brushing her cheek. It was cold. Her hair was damp. He realized her clothing must be damp, but Nels' coat was over her, keeping in some warmth. He peeked under the coat and saw that she was naked at least to her waist.

"You took her clothes off! What else did you do?" Finn yelled at the red-headed man.

"She was soaking wet and chilled," Nels stated, blushing. "I took her clothes off and used my coat, as you can see. And she is getting heat from the fire."

Finn heard Anders ask Nels a personal question concerning Rika, and the big man denied having done anything improper to the girl.

"She hasn't talked to me except to mumble. And she cried out when I picked her up and carried her here. She has injuries."

"She's my wife," Finn told the man. "Was she in the river?" Then he thought that was a foolish question. Of course she had been in the river.

"She was on a sandbar. She was clinging to a floating log and it washed up at the bar. She was awake, but barely. She did say your name. She didn't say she was your wife."

"Well, she is. I'm glad you found her and rescued her. Thank you, Nels." He turned back to Rika and leaned close, gently kissing her cold forehead. "Rika, I love you."

 _A/N How badly is Rika injured? Is she going to survive? Readers, tell me what you think of this situation. Thanks._


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Rika moaned and moved slightly. Then she coughed several times and cried out so that those watching knew she was injured. Finn spoke to her again and this time she opened her eyes and saw him. She managed to say his name between coughs.

"We'll get you home, love," Finn told her. He wanted his mother, the healer, to be able to help her to recover.

She nodded slightly and as her coughing fit stopped, she seemed to drift off into sleep. The men in the party set to work making something on which they could put her and carry her. Nels had a leather bag of carpenter tools and did much of the work of fashioning the thing they needed. When it was ready, they carefully lifted the girl onto it. Although it was all made of branches bound together, it was like a stretcher of canvas. With one man at each end, it was not difficult to carry Rika.

She was not the only one who needed to be transported. The old dog Snort was lame after his long walk in the woods and the men soon realized the dog might not be able to keep up with the search party. Nels, also carrying his bag of tools, lifted the dog into his arms and carried him for a while. Dogs liked Nels and this one gave the big man a lick on his face, making him laugh. Unlike some people, dogs never made fun of the big red-head, and he appreciated that.

When the group reached the village, more people gathered around, looking and asking questions. Rika was taken inside Esther's house and the process of caring for her began. Finn stayed until his mother chased him out of the house because he was in the way. Ayanna joined her, while Grace took Rebekah to the other end of the long house.

Rika did not wake up again by nightfall, which worried Finn. What if she never woke up again? What if she developed the lung condition from inhaling river water? What if her internal injuries were life-threatening? She could die! Of course, she could have drowned in the river but had not. For this Finn was thankful.

When the boys brought the animals back from the meadow, they were concerned for the ill woman too.

"Is she going to die?" Kol worriedly asked Finn. Niklaus, who was standing nearby, said nothing, but he listened for the answer.

"Mother is doing all she can. You know she has healing powers," Finn said.

"Is Mother going to make us some supper?" the boy asked. He was always ready to eat.

"You won't starve," Finn growled. "Go check on old Snort. He got all worn out from searching for Rika."

Kol showed as much concern for Snort as he did for Rika. He left to go to the house of the family who kept the dog. Niklaus remained, keeping his brother company.

"Mother can make her well," he said in a serious tone.

"I believe that too," Finn told the boy. "Was everything alright with the animals?"

"They're all fine. Finn, does the werewolf trait give Rika more strength to get well?"

"I'm not sure about that. The wolves are strong and heal quickly, but Rika has never changed into one."

"Why do the women never change? I mean, except for Lady Greta."

"The women don't want to change, Niklaus. Nobody wants them to go through the transformation."

"Because it hurts?"

"More than that. Because they can't have children afterward."

"Why not?"

"The transformation is violent and very disfiguring. If a woman is expecting a child, she will lose it. Since the full moon comes every month, clouds or not, the woman never has a chance to grow a baby in her body. So, the solution is for her never to cause anyone's death so she will never turn."

"Oh. So, a female warrior like Lady Greta will never have a baby, even if she gets married."

"Some have a child or two before putting themselves in a position to have to kill. Or not unless she figures out a way not to turn for the necessary number of moons."

"Is that possible?"

"Who knows?" Finn shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't concerned about that. The questions annoyed him until he realized that Niklaus was trying to distract him from worry about Rika.

"Are you and Rika going to have children?"

"We're planning on it. I like the idea of having children."

"You'd be a better father than our father," Niklaus said, making a face of displeasure.

"I certainly hope so. I don't believe in beating the children for any little thing. I know he picks on you mercilessly sometimes, but he also was pretty mean to me and Elijah from time to time when we were younger. He'd get angry and lash out at one of us if we didn't meet his standards. Sometimes we didn't know what those standards were."

"He doesn't treat you and Elijah like that now. Or almost never."

"I know. He's got you to beat on, I guess."

"That's not fair!"

"No, it isn't. He'll probably smack me around now for marrying Rika."

"You're as big as he is. You can hit him back."

"It's not that easy to do, Niklaus. He _is_ my father, after all. And he's an important man in this community. I have to show him respect."

"He's not the _leader_ here," the brother pointed out.

"I know, but he is one of the lesser leaders. And he is the leader of our family." A man called Dane One-ear was the overall leader of the settlement, but he had men like Mikael to keep order. Dane One-ear was a battle-scarred old man now. He had children and grandchildren in the community, none of whom carried any werewolf trait.

"I don't know why it is so important for us to be trained warriors," Niklaus said. "We're farmers and hunters. Our only enemies are the native people and most of the time they stay away from us."

"It's tradition, Niklaus. We are Norsemen. Ours is a Viking heritage. We should know how to fight. In Europe we would also be traders and raiders. We would capture people to be slaves."

"Or wives like Mother." Niklaus knew many of the stories told by the older folks who had been adults before starting the journey that had landed them in this place.

"Mother says she fell in love with Father after she was captured. Maybe he was nicer to her than he usually is."

After a short while, Finn could go no longer without finding out how things were with his young wife. He entered the house and found his mother sitting beside Rika's bed.

"How is she doing?" he asked, guessing that whatever spell she and Bennett's Wife had been casting was finished.

"I think she is better to some degree. I don't mean she is all healed. She isn't, but she has more strength now. And I believe we have healed her lung wound. She was also bleeding somewhere in her belly and we think that has stopped. Let's allow her to sleep."

"Thank you, Mother," Finn said with relief. He kissed her cheek. He then sat beside his wife, holding one of her hands and watching her with love.

 _A/N I know this is not a popular story, so I thank each of you who have been reading it. I was never a fan of Finn, but I thought he deserved a story. There will probably be only a couple more chapters._


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

It was almost nightfall before Rika stirred and opened her eyes. Finn was there and spoke to her. She reached out and touched his arm and tried to smile.

"Are you in pain?" he asked.

"I feel like I fell into a river and was bashed about on some rocks," she murmured, trying to amuse him.

"So, you are quite sore."

"Definitely. I really, really need to use the privy," she said. She had been unconscious for a long time.

There was a pot in the house that was used whenever someone needed to empty his or her bladder and didn't want to go outside. The one who used it the most was Rebekah, but now Esther suggested the young woman use it rather than try to go out and around to the privy. There was not much privacy in the longhouse, but Rika didn't care. Finn and his mother helped her out of bed. In a couple of minutes she was back in bed with relief.

Rika's family, who had come several times to check on her, were pleased to see her alert and even hungry. One person who did not visit her was Celesta from the other end of the house. As far as anyone could tell, that person had had no part in Rika's river accident.

Within a week, much was almost normal again. Finn's arm wound healed, although he had an ugly scar that would last the rest of his normal life. He had no idea, of course, that he would endure for centuries and the scar would eventually disappear. Rika recovered from her river disaster and was happy with her husband. Eventually, she told him she was sure she was expecting their first child. Finn and his family were thrilled.

Mikael, Elijah and the large group that had gone to the boats finally returned. They were welcomed home with cheers, food and drink. Elijah congratulated his brother on his marriage. Mikael did not. He was furious and would not speak a welcome to the young woman. However, Esther convinced him not to be so hard on his son and his bride. Nevertheless, the father told his son that he would have to move out of the longhouse before the expected child was born.

"I won't have a wolf cub in my house!" he yelled.

Both Esther and Finn looked at him stonily, but said nothing. Her secret about Niklaus was kept, and Finn already had some idea about what he and Rika would do. Rika was hurt by the man's attitude, but she had been trying to prepare herself before he ever returned to the village.

Celesta seemed to accept the situation although she rarely even spoke to Rika. Four months after the wedding, Celesta disappeared. As with Rika's disappearance, a search was organized. Even one of the nearby native tribes was questioned. They said that a more northern tribe's war party had passed through, although the Vikings had been unaware. There had been a clash between the two tribes and the intruders had taken two natives, one a woman and one a boy.

It was suspected that Celesta, who had been hunting medicinal herbs some distance to the south of the village, also had been captured. The search followed a trail of human tracks into the mountains a short way to the west. Then heavy rain washed away most signs and the discouraged Norsemen returned to the village. Celesta was not the first villager to be taken by natives, but it had been several years since the last one.

This event was sobering to the community, not only because the war party had been within a mile of the village, but also because the children guarding the stock could have been discovered and kidnapped. Luckily, that had not occurred. Even Kol, who loved adventure, was nervous about what could have happened.

Esther, Ayanna and Grace tried two location spells two separate times to see if they could find where she was at the moment. The results were not very clear, but showed that she was moving, going north and was well into the mountains. No one knew how large the war party was, although the friendly tribe had suggested it was fairly large. The Viking warriors were not afraid to face an enemy, but they decided not to venture too far and leave the settlement vulnerable, at least until the group at the ships returned.

Although not spoken, there was a feeling among many of the people that the village was better off without the girl. It was known that in subtle ways she had caused trouble to people other than to Finn and Rika. The Bennett family knew this also, but they certainly had not wanted the girl to be taken by savages.

Mikael, Elijah and the large group that had gone to the boats finally returned. They were welcomed home with cheers, food and drink. Finn, glad to see his brother returned, asked Elijah how he had liked being on the longboat at sea.

"I was amazed to see the open bay and the ocean. So vast! Quite remarkable! And sea creatures. We saw whales, Finn! Such giant fish. And although we all have been told of the power of the wind to move a boat, I was amazed to witness it pushing against the sail. But like the other men, I was expected to row the ship when not under sail. I did not like that at all. Or some of the other shipboard chores. I believe I am basically a person who likes his feet on the land."

"Did the motion of the boat on the waves make you sick?" the older brother asked with a smile.

Somewhat embarrassed, Elijah admitted that it had at first. "But look at you! A married man now. Congratulations! You are braver than I to go against Father's wishes."

Mikael did not off congratulations. He was furious and would not speak a welcome to the young woman. However, Esther convinced him not to be so hard on his son and his bride. Nevertheless, the father told his son that he would have to move out of the longhouse before the expected child was born.

"I won't have a wolf cub in my house!" he yelled.

Both Esther and Finn looked at him stonily, but said nothing. Her secret about Niklaus was kept, and Finn already had some idea about what he and Rika would do. Rika was hurt by the man's attitude, but she had been trying to prepare herself before he ever returned to the village

To everyone's surprise Celesta's sister Grace married. The shy red-headed carpenter Nels Arneson managed to find the courage to ask for Grace's hand in marriage. With little prospect of having another offer, she gladly accepted. Her father and his wife were very pleased. As with Finn and Rika, the couple stayed with her family in the longhouse for a while, but then

they moved to Nels' improved small single house. Despite the marriage, she continued to be called Grace Bennettsdottir. Ayanna and her daughters were the first of the "Bennett" witches.

The community went back to normal daily lives. They did not try to find and rescue Celesta, especially since Ayanna could no longer locate her. This saddened the mother, but she decided that perhaps it was meant to be.

"Niklaus, you are growing taller," Elijah observed one day.

"I think I am," the boy grinned. "Mother will make the sleeves of my shirt longer." Unfortunately, this did not mean he was more agile and skilled when it came to sparring with a weapon against his father. And Mikael only gave a disparaging snort when told that the boy had faced the angry bear. Niklaus, who had hoped his father would be impressed by his bravery, was again disappointed. He wondered what he would ever do that could draw real praise from Mikael. Perhaps when his time came to go on the ship he would prove to be a capable seaman.

By the time Rika was into the sixth month of her pregnancy, a proper house had been built for Finn and his wife. It was furnished with things provided by both his family and hers. Even Mikael did some work toward the place, eager to get the potential werewolf out of his own home. Now Rika could cook and clean her own place, although she and Finn often ate at Mikael's house or that of her parents. She was looking forward to being a mother and trusted that she would survive the baby's birth. Esther was an accomplished midwife and had helped bring many babies into the community.

Infants had a good chance of surviving because there was almost no sickness in the village. The settlers had been a healthy lot when they had arrived. This was also good for the native peoples who had no immunity toward the European diseases. Five hundred years into the future, many European explorers, soldiers, missionaries and colonists would come to the Americas and bring devastating diseases with them.

When Finn and Rika moved out, the sleeping arrangements for the rest of his siblings changed. Elijah now had a bed of his own, as did Niklaus. Kol, now six years old, remained with his little sister.

A day come when the villagers heard from a native man that one of the northern tribes now had a pale female spiritual leader. A medicine woman, rather than a medicine man. It was said she could do strong magic and communicate with various spirits. The people of the Viking community had no doubts that this person was Celesta. Bennett and his family were relieved to know she was still alive and apparently respected. And probably feared, many thought.

Finn and Rika were glad Celesta was nowhere near them when Rika gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Everyone, especially Mikael, was relieved that the infant was female and unlikely to ever transform into a werewolf. It was a proud moment for the new parents. Finn, son of Mikael, was a father. He named the baby Freya after his supposedly dead older sister. This seemed to soften Mikael's heart and he actually held the infant.

"You're my first grandchild, little lady," he told the baby.

Finn looked at his father and then at the smiling Rika, and a broad smile came to Finn's face. He was happy.

 _A/N I think I will stop Finn's story here and leave him happy. Thanks to those of you who read the story. I don't know what I will write next. I miss Elijah. I'm hoping to self-publish a book soon that has nothing to do with vampires. Wish me luck._


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